‘Once upon a time…’

Jussi Valtakari and Antti Ylönen’s series ‘Once upon a time…’ fills the lobby walls at Daycare Aurinkokallio in Kannelmäki. The artwork features dioramas of different sizes, inspired by fairytales collected from around the world. 

Dioramas are often used in Natural History Museums as displays, and a diorama allows visitors to examine a three-dimensional scene through a window. Multiculturalism was important to the artists in choosing which fairytales to make into dioramas. Included are e.g. Red Riding Hood, The Ugly Duckling, and The Nightingale. The thirteen works also include a peephole with a free imagination diorama that children can invent their own stories for. The materials used include wood, sand, soil, stones, linen oakum, iron wire, metal leaf and photographs. Watercolour was the primary medium used for painting and colouring. The intricate lighting was created in collaboration with Jyrki Sinisalo. 

Antti Ylönen is a visual artist who lives in Ii and started as a ceramicist in the mid ’80s. Wood often plays a key role in Ylönen’s sculptures, along with various other materials and combinations of them. Environmental art and photography have also had a pivotal role in his artistic career. 

Jussi Valtakari lives and works in Taivalkoski. He studied at the former Lahti Art School, Lahti Art Institute and Tampere School of Art and Communication. Recently he’s worked with miniature wooden sculptures that have their roots in the Finnish tradition of puhdetyö, or ‘twilight work’, referring to work that was typically done indoors during evening hours. 

Ylönen and Valtakari have been working together for almost ten years. Their joint artworks have been displayed at Mänttä Art Festival, Aine Art Museum, Kajaani Art Museum, Imatra Art Museum, and Galleria Sculptor. They also produced the public artwork Hive for Lapland Central Hospital in 2023.  

The work belongs to the City of Helsinki’s art collection, which is managed and curated by HAM.