Matti Lepistö’s Cosmos

Matti Lepistö (1948–2020) was an ITE artist from Pattijoki, known for his rich concrete sculptures. Lepistö presented the sculptures in his home yard in Mansikkakari, Pattijoki, where he had assembled more than 250 large concrete sculptures on the lawn. 

The City of Raahe bought the sculpture park in 2025 from Lepistö’s heirs, and the artist’s works were inventoried during 2025–2026. A total of almost 650 sculptures were found in Lepistö’s yard and in the buildings on the plot. The smaller sculptures found in the properties were stored in the city’s premises, and 34 of the large sculptures outdoors were moved to the new sculpture park built in the centre of Raahe, the Matti Lepistö’s Cosmos, which showcases Lepistö’s art.

The park Matti Lepistö’s Cosmos, which showcases Matti Lepistö’s sculptures, is located in the centre of Raahe, in the park area between the main library and the central playground of the Town Hall. In Lepistö’s creation, you can see a sample of the life’s work of the creator from Pattijoki. The world created by Matti Lepistö speaks to the viewer regardless of age and cultural background, as the themes of the sculptures are fundamentally universal and popular.

Matti Lepistö’s Sculpture Park in Mansikkakari is also still open to the public, but in the future, it will undergo alterations and rearrangements.

The opening of the Matti Lepistö’s Cosmos was celebrated on 25.6.2026. The opening was part of the Oulu2026 anniversary year as the European Capital of Culture 2026. The new art park celebrates the official northern culture of the City of Raahe.

Text and photos: Hilla Nättilä / City of Raahe

Matti Lepistö’s artist introduction on our website.