Artwork of Aurinkolahti Elementary School

In the back yard of the Aurinkolahti school is Tülay Schakir’s (b. 1968) light installation which comes to life with the reflecting sunlight. Tülay Schakir is an outstanding artist, graduating not only from the Departments of Art History and Communications, but also the theatre academy’s Department of Light and Sound. Characteristic of her art is the working of whole visual spaces, in which light plays a central role.

The work, which is situated in Aurinkolahti school’s backyard in the Helsinki suburb of Vuosaari, is made from acid-resistant steel whose internal surface is polished to shine to evoke reflections made by the sun. The work also consists of two coloured lamps and holograms laminated to a glass wall. The light installation reflects in the direction of the building.

The steel exterior is painted in blue and the interior is lit with a deep orange. At it’s centre it appears deep orange, though at the edges it is bright. From the correct angle and in the right light ing conditions the reflection projects three-dimensional balls projecting externally.

The work was commissioned with the Percent for Art funds budgeted for artworks in new buildings and City developments.