Reino Helismaan muistomerkki / Reino Helismaa’s memorial

The career of Reino Helismaa (1913-1965), a singer and poet, a writer of lyrics and film manuscripts and a radio entertainer, began in the 1940s. He worked closely together with the composer Toivo Kärki, producing such Finnish classics as `Päivänsäde ja Menninkäinen’, `Kaksi vanhaa tukkijätkää’ and `Rovaniemen markkinoilla’. In all, Helismaa wrote the lyrics to nearly 5000 songs. Gunnar Uotila’s realistic portrait is a relief and it is attached to a large stone. The relief has the text: “Niin paljon on aihetta lauluun” (There is so much to sing about) and the years 1913-1965. The piece was commissioned by the Puistolaseura, a neighbourhood association, which donated it to the City of Helsinki in 1987. The relief is cast in bronze and it is set in stone.