Nereidi / Nereid

Nereid is a fountain by Kimmo Kaivanto, completed in 1985. It consists of a pool with a natural stone bottom and a curving metal pipe which spouts water. The pipe outlines a delicate profile of a nereid, a sea-nymph and a daughter of Nereus, the sea-god. She is a personification of a calm sea basking in the sun. The line plays a key role in the oeuvre of Kaivanto who has also made numerous graphics. In Nereid the line is the fundamental element, the narrator giving meaning to the piece. In its lyrical and ascetic subtlety the piece is typical of the artist in whose work skilful simplification combines with a refined feeling for material. Kimmo Kaivanto has also designed the piece Silvery Bridges in the Forum.

The work doesn’t belong to the collections of the Helsinki Art Museum.