Calling Eura?
Calling Eura?
Collective environmental work of art, 2006
Calling Eura? is an environmental work of art, which was made it with the help of the pupils from Eura's comprehensive school. In the first stage, pupils gathered memories and stories of the meaningful places from the people in Eura. Based on these stories artists structured four guided tours on which the audience can familiarize themselves on these locations. Sites are marked with small plates. From the plates you can read the story of the interviewed person. There are 26 places marked by the plates all together.
Calling Eura? is a monument for local identity and for the remembrance of your own history. This work of art records the local micro history and recent history. At the same time, it offers an alternative for the "official" way of writing history that has an alienating viewpoint towards personal experiences: what someone has experienced on that particular location and what it means to her/him.
Site 1: Eura Church (Sorkkistentie 13)
"There are many meaningful places but only one comes quickly to my mind: Eura church because I married my wife there in 1992. Back then, we lived in Harjavalta but we wanted to get married in Eura because both of us were born there. Many relatives and friends were in the church. Jarmo Isotalo married us. He also confirmed us when we were younger. The event was as exciting as it was memorable."
Man, 39 years old, seller of garden equipment, born in Eura
Site 2: Eura Library (Yhdystie 19)
"Toni was awarded in Eura Library with a honorable mention in a visual arts competition. It was very surprising that Toni's work was noticed among 300 other works. He had made a "lively" picture of camels wandering in the desert. The award was five euros, which is a good recognition for a five-year old. I hope that this encourages children to take an interest in art. Of course not everyone received a prize, but every work was placed on the library walls. I am very happy and pleased about Toni's achievement."
Woman, 44 years old, nurse's aide, born in Noormarkku
Site 3: Workshop (crossing of Takanummentie and Tanhuanpääntie)
"The workshop, in the Kirkonkylämäki, is unforgettable because it had such big windows. Daylight passed trough them easily and they were very beautiful. In my opinion the workshop was smelly. On the other hand, the odor was quite nice, oil sawdust etc. In my opinion it was the usual smell of a workshop. The smells you like are personal. Tools there were amazing, drills, hammers, saws and stuff like that. When I was there, I could do all kinds of stuff with proper tools meant for adults. Back then I was about ten years old. The workshop was red colored and the interior was made of wood. It has a mansard roof and it is situated in Kirkonkylämäki."
Man, 42 years old, engineer, born in Eura
Site 4: Duckpond (Yhdystie 12)
"For me the most significant place in Eura is the duckpond. I have spent many pleasant nights there eating pizza and ice cream with my friends. Anything specific hasn't happened there but I chose it anyway as an important place to spend time. I can't pinpoint an exact time but we are often there. It is nice that Eura has such a place. It is in the middle of everything, for example there is an ice cream bar and a pizza place around it. If you need some peace and quiet, it's fun to watch the playful mallards."
Girl, 13 years old, student, born in Eura
Site 5: Eurajoki Bridge (Yhdystie 2-4)
"My grandfather and I used to stop at the Yhdystie Bridge to watch the river."
Man, 33 years old, born in Eura