Support

Lanu Park in Lahti was built between 1989 and 1992. The city of Lahti commissioned a total of 12 sculptures from Olavi Lanu to be placed in the deciduous Kariniemenmäki forest. The starting point of the sculptures was the body of work Lanu created for the Venice Biennale in 1978, entitled Life in the Finnish Forest, in which he explored the relationship between humanity and nature in various ways. Cast in concrete at the Renkomäki gravel pit, the sculptures in the park imitate natural materials. Blending in with their surroundings, the sculptures were all sited by the artist himself.

Olavi Lanu (1925–2015) was a visual artist, teacher and prominent figure in the Lahti art scene.

Support consists of two interconnected parts: a large boulder and a human figure supporting it with its head. The figure is sitting on the ground with one leg cocked out, its right hand positioned to protect the head and the left hand resting casually on the opposite knee. In spite of the enormous weight bearing down on the figure, there is an air of serenity and acceptance to it, which lends the work an intriguing element of tension. The model for the human figure was Jussi, husband of the artist’s daughter Tessaliina. Typical of Lanu’s work, Support combines warm humour with an artistically impressive and carefully considered form.

Artwork on the map

In Lanu Sculpture Park. – Kariniemenpuistotie 49, Lahti.
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