Panu Patomäki: The Worker Mother, 1996. © Photo: HAM Helsinki Art Museum / Maija Toivanen Työläisäiti / The Worker Mother Artist Panu Patomäki Työläisäidinpuisto, Sturenkatu / Läntinen Brahenkatu, Alpcourtrju, Helsinki `The Worker Mother’ was unveiled on Mothers’ Day on May 12, 1996 by Eeva Ahtisaari, the wife of president Martti Ahtisaari. The unveiling was witnessed by a crowd of thousands. The idea of a memorial to a working-class mother originated among the regulars at the Päijänne sauna in Helsinki’s Vallila district in 1992. The idea soon found other supporters and became very popular among Helsinki’s inhabitants. The memorial was realized thanks to the inspiration and hard work of its supporters and the success of the numerous fund- raisers and other projects organized by the memorial committee. The bronze statue depicts a working-class mother and her daughter wringing the water out of a sheet. The work is made in a strong realistic style and intended to be approached from any direction. The work belongs to the City of Helsinki’s art collection, which is managed and curated by HAM. Read more.. At map
