Tauno Vuorenniemi

Sastamala (1935)

Tauno Vuorenniemi worked as a panel beater in Sweden for more than 30 years. As he was fixing cars, he began to think that if it was possible to make bonnets and wings out of fibreglass, why not something else as well. He had always observed and studied interesting forms when walking in the forest; these were the roots of his artistic creativity.

In his sculptures, Tauno Vuorenniemi depicts old working methods, people and animals of the countryside. The themes of his works come from the childhood memories and folklore, and they breathe respect for the forefathers’ work, for the time before machines.

Vuorenniemi’s ideal is likeness and naturalness. Occasionally, he compromises and plays with dimensions; he may, for instance, create a ten-foot crane. The lightness of fibreglass enables him to produce large works.

The Spirit of the Times, Vuorenniemi’s sculpture park is in Suodenniemi, Sastamala, next door to Putaja Farming Museum.

Text: ITE museum. Translation: Kirsti Nurmela-Knox. Photos: Minna Haveri.