Kemijärvi

The largest public sculpture north of the Polar Circle is located in Kemijärvi. 'Opening the Arctic Circle' measures twenty meters in length and was assembled on location.

Kemijärvi is located in Finnish Lapland. In 1988 Lucien den Arend participated in a sculpture symposium in this remote location in Europe. He was impressed by the overwhelming hospitality of the people and their unpretentiousness. On a very early Sunday morning walk - the sun had been shining all night - he found this location and imagined a very large open sculpture there - capturing the rays of the sun with its open spaces. He decided to propose to contribute a sculpture, to be made in Finland under his supervision. The town accepted and in 1990 it was unveiled by the minister of culture Marja-Liisa Kasurinen.

opening the arctic circle - stainless steel - 2000x354x354cm - Kemijärvi culture center (kulttuurikeskus) FI

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