The River Dragon Flew to a New Location

The River Dragon sculpture stands proudly in its new location along the Kiekonlenkki fitness track in Sanginsuu. Photo Satu Pietilä.

The pupils of Sanginsuu School found an “ancient relic”, a wooden dragon, in the nearby forest! It was a wooden sculpture carved by chainsaw artist Aimo Laitinen.

Kids gave the character a colorful look and christen it the River Dragon. The painting workshop held in the spring of 2023 was led by community artist Pia Hentunen.

The Sanginsuu school was closed down, and the sculpture had to be moved away from the planned location in the school’s grove. So the River Dragon flew – or was carried by resourceful volunteers – to the Kiekonlenkki loop. There, it amazes outdoor enthusiasts among the other art checkpoints in Sanginkontu.

The river dragon has found its place on top of a handsome boulder and remains proudly visible even if it snows heavily.

RIVER DRAGON, wooden sculpture, Aimo Laitinen (2020); paintings by Sanginsuu school children with artist Pia Hentunen (2023).

The work is located along the Kiekonlenkki trail. The starting point marked in the picture is in the parking lot of Kiekonmaja, Kiekonmajantie, Oulu. In winter, you can walk to the sculpture on foot via a forest road or ski along the fitness track.
The River Dragon sculpture was painted in the courtyard of Sanginsuu School in a children’s art workshop led by Pia Hentunen in 2023.
Finding a new place for the river dragon and installing it firmly in place in August 2025 was a job of several hours. The colours of the sculpture have already faded slightly over the years.
A new place has been found. In the photo, Raimo Perälä, a diligent volunteer at the Sanginkontu art trail.

The organisers of the Sanginkontu art trail

The art trails have been designed in accordance with the principles of sustainable development

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