Love Helsinki

The piece Love Helsinki, created by visual artist Janne Siltanen (b. 1976), is a two-part piece that brings to life the urban space and light transport routes of the city centre, comprising both a concrete sculpture spelling out the word ‘Helsinki’ and a mural on the retaining wall.

The original granite retaining wall was demolished to allow for the construction of a new pedestrian overpass. Once the new wall was complete, Siltanen created an extended and updated version of his mural for the same site. The concrete letters on the floor of Baana, which have proven popular among skateboarders, have been moved slightly to the south but remain part of the whole.

The new mural is significantly bigger than the original one at around 35 x 5 metres, and the gleaming reds and yellows of its colour scheme bring a strong visual presence to the environment. The piece features the same recognisable figures and artistic style as Siltanen’s previous mural, but now in extended form and with a new take adapted to the updated location and space. The mural was painted with spray paints and latex paints on concrete.

Janne Siltanen has a Master’s Degree in Visual Arts and his work combines urban culture, graphic design, and a narrative world of characters. Love Helsinki is part of Helsinki’s multilayered contemporary art scene, and this renewed version marks a new era for the work in its transformed environment.

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