The Horizon, located in the Jätkäsaari pier in Helsinki, has now reached its full length of 54 metres. The final lot of 507 gleaming plates, each bearing a name, were installed late last night. The work of art consists of 4,225 plates or gleams, bearing the name of their donor. The Horizon campaign closed in December 2016, when the last gleam was claimed in the John Nurminen Foundation’s just for friends Christmas sale.
‘It is wonderful to see the Horizon gleaming in its full glory! Its 4,225 plates express the genuine need many of us have to think about the Baltic Sea and to do something that benefits the sea. Looking at the work, which reflects the Baltic Sea’s average depth of a mere 43 metres, we can understand how vulnerable our beautiful marine environment is. All support to organised protection operations, such as the work done by the John Nurminen Foundation to combat eutrophication, is most welcome. Nature protection is a concept that encompasses many smaller entities, and I hope that the Horizon will make all of us think about how we can impact these issues in our everyday lives. Luckily, environmental awareness is growing continuously. I am particularly delighted by the earnestness with which the younger generation has embraced these matters’, says Hannu Kähönen, designer and professor from Creadesign Oy, and donor of the Horizon’s design.
The campaign raised a total of approximately €220,000, of which, after expenses, €120,000 was directed to the Clean Baltic Sea projects. The goal of the campaign was to purchase a chemicals container, used in phosphorus removal and with a price tag of €100,000, for the water utility of Gatchina in northwestern Russia. Gatchina is the second largest city of the Leningrad area after St. Petersburg. The wastewaters of St. Petersburg are already treated efficiently, so phosphorus removal implemented in Gatchina is now the most efficient way to reduce nutrient loads in the Gulf of Finland, and, consequently, to reduce algae blooms in the marine area. The container was installed in Gatchina last year, and chemical phosphorus removal was deployed in November last year (read the news about the launch here). The remaining donated funds are used in other Clean Baltic Sea projects that reduce the nutrient load of the sea.
Implementing the work of art from design to installation has been a project with many phases, impossible to realise relying on donations alone. In return, however, we now have a work of art which will be a permanent reminder of the importance of the Baltic Sea. The expenses of the campaign – roughly €100,000 – consisted of e.g. the technical planning and implementation of the work, and the costs of engraving names to the plates. Assembling individual plates to the lengthy work of art and the on-site installation of parts of the work were also demanding phases.
A lot of valuable effort needed in the implementation of the work was also received as donations, including artistic design by Hannu Kähönen, and materials from Outokumpu. The companies who participated in building the work also made donations. High Metal Production Oy took part in building and designing the construction of the work at a reduced price. Suomen Vesileikkaus Oy donated the cutting of the plates, and LMP-Merkkaus Oy performed the engravings at a discount price. Ramboll Oy donated the additional planning needed for street and park structures. Without this spirit of everybody chipping in, we would not have been able to cover the costs of the manual work needed in building the artwork.
The Horizon campaign was unique and exceptional for the Foundation. It was launched in cooperation with the City of Helsinki Baltic Sea Challenge at the 2013 Tall Ships Races Helsinki event. The Horizon is owned by the City of Helsinki.
The John Nurminen Foundation, established in 1992, works for the Baltic Sea and its marine cultural heritage in a way that makes an impact and brings results. The Foundation’s Clean Baltic Sea projects improve the status of the Baltic Sea with concrete measures that reduce the nutrient load and environmental risks faced by the sea. The Clean Baltic Sea projects are funded with private donations and public funding. www.johnnurmisensaatio.fi
Further information
Tuula Putkinen
Communications Director
John Nurminen Foundation
Tel. +358 400 907 809
firstname.lastname@jnfoundation.fi