Hopeinen puu / Silver Tree

The Finnish Medical Association wanted to erect a monument to Archiater Arvo Ylppö that would symbolise his life’s work. The winning entry in the design competition was Silver Tree by the sculptor Jukka Tuominen. As a poetic metaphor of the revered physician’s life’s work, the work symbolises living, organic growth and the cycle of life. The monument consists of a silver oval element with a hollow from which a rowan tree rises.

Arvo Ylppö (1887-1992) was a paediatrician, professor of paediatrics and archiater. He is also regarded the father of the public child welfare clinic system in Finland. Ylppö had a long career as a researcher and physician, and he enjoyed great esteem in both Finland and abroad. He is internationally recognised for his research on premature infants. In recognition of his merits in the field of public health and medicine, he was awarded the title of Archiater in 1952.

The memorial was unveiled in winter 2010 next to the Lääkäritalo building at the corner of the Hämeentie and Mäkelänkatu streets in the district of Vallila. The work doesn’t belong to the City of Helsinki’s art collection, which is managed by HAM.