The Sculpture Park of Veijo Rönkkönen Is the Weirdest Place in Finland
ByDeep in the forest of Parikkala, in the easternmost part of Finland, lies one of the craziest tourist attractions on the face of the planet – the sculpture park of Veijo R?nkk?nen.
Regarded by most as the most important ensemble of contemporary folk art in Finland, the sculpture park of Veijo R?nkk?nen is a lot to take in, the first time you visit. Finding yourself surrounded by hundreds of creepy statues, grinning at you with their real human teeth, is enough to spook you into turning back as soon as you set foot in the park.
Veijo R?nkk?nen, a former paper mill worker, completed his first sculpture in 1961, and now his yard, and the path leading to it, are filled with over 450 statues, 200 of which are self portraits of the artist in Yoga positions he has mastered so far. The statues have loudspeakers hidden inside them, and the sound effects add to the eeriness of this place.
Although he has had the chance to exhibit and even sell his artworks, in auctions, Veijo R?nkk?nen has never agreed to showcase his art. Every time he was asked to showcase his work, the near-hermit always replied he needed to discuss it with the statues first. Sadly, they never agreed to travel.
The sculpture park of Veijo R?nkk?nen is free to visit, if you dare, but the artist insists every visitor sign his logbook, before they leave.
6 Comments
June 23rd, 2010 at 6:42 pm
This is an amazing, awe-inspiring place. We spent hours wandering through the park last summer and still had lots left to explore when it was time to leave. A definite MUST!
June 27th, 2010 at 9:00 pm
This pictures are amazing. The first one remember the Avatar movie. Nice.
July 3rd, 2010 at 4:19 am
That place looks scary as hell. Its not amazing its kinda creepy.
July 3rd, 2010 at 11:53 am
I like the sculptures – though maybe not the fact that the teeth are real.
I spent 4 years working in Finland in the 90s. Some Finns (particularly some middle-aged men) seemed a little bit on the grumpy side, but most Finns have a lovely sense of humour and laugh at themselves easily.
When the rest of Europe was more conservatively dressed, I remember Finns standing at the bus stop in cowboy boots, women with several rings in each ear – waiting to go and do middle class jobs in offices.
Great people.
October 19th, 2010 at 12:49 am
That’s not cool – It’s weird and flat out creepy!
February 8th, 2012 at 8:50 am
“the artist insists every visitor sign his logbook, before they leave.”
…or he will take your TEETH! BWAHAHAHAHA