Suomen Kaasuenergia owns pressure-reduction cabinets in the Helsinki metropolitan area whose worn, grey surfaces will be brightened with graffiti this autumn. The photo shows artist Jouni “Psyke” Väänänen painting the first cabinet with the word “LOVE”.
Street art brightens neighbourhoods
Suomen Kaasuenergia chose street art for its cabinets to bring colour and joy to the cityscape. The company wants to be approachable and anything but the odourless, tasteless and colourless gas it sells.
The cabinets will feature photorealistic animals and people as well as Love lettering. Some paintings will even offer an imaginative glimpse of what might be inside a pressure-reduction cabinet.
“We want to help bring art closer to people’s lives,” says Suomen Kaasuenergia CEO Mika Paloranta. “This is our contribution to a more pleasant living environment.”
“Street art is one of the most accessible art forms. When works are in the urban environment, you do not need to make a special trip to see art—you experience it while going about everyday life,” says project artist Jouni “Psyke” Väänänen. “Encountering street art sparks feelings and thoughts and makes exploring other art feel more accessible too.”
Work and art with a purpose
“Life seems increasingly hectic, and my attention is usually divided between several things. When I paint, it is just the wall and me. Being able to focus entirely on painting feels like recharging myself. Even if I am physically exhausted at the end of the day, mentally I feel much lighter,” Väänänen explains.
“Positive feedback also motivates me. During this project, people have already stopped several times to thank me for making their neighbourhood more pleasant. That is wonderful to hear, because it makes the work feel meaningful,” he says.
Spread the love
The first cabinets received colour in late September. Love-painted cabinets stand in busy locations in Toukola, by Helsinki Cathedral and in Kulosaari. Residents and passers-by have welcomed the brighter streetscape.
“I have painted around 25 Love pieces in just over a year. They are intended to counter the hatred and frowning in the world; the first followed an event driven by hate. The message seems to work in its simplicity. These paintings have been photographed and shared on social media more than anything else I have made,” Väänänen says.
Follow and share the project’s progress on Suomen Kaasuenergia’s Facebook, Instagram, as well as Jouni Väänänen’s artist accounts on Facebook and Instagram.
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Graffiti artist Jouni “Psyke” Väänänen (born 1978) has more than 20 years’ experience of graffiti, murals and street art. He also has 15 years’ experience in advertising, new media and photography. He has been self-employed for the past ten years and has worked on illustrations for almost as long.
Further information
Mika Hartikainen, mika.hartikainen@aurisenergia.fi
Photo: Jukka Lariola