Veikko Hirvimäki: For a Lasting Life

Veikko Hirvimäki draws inspiration from both folk tradition and nature, emphasising the importance of living in harmony with the natural world. His wooden sculptures also address topical issues, sometimes difficult subjects, inviting us to reflect on them collectively.

Hirvimäki celebrates the natural forms and textures of wood, allowing the shapes of branches and tree trunks to guide the final appearance of his works. Executed in a deliberately rough-hewn style, his human and animal figures are imbued with wry humour while also conveying a keen sense of social commentary. These endearing characters are often depicted in the thick of the action, for instance taking part in demonstrations. Whether large or small, his creatures invariably have something meaningful to tell us. 

Hirvimäki began his career as a painter but gained recognition in the 1980s for his public stone sculptures. In the 2000s, he moved away from his earlier abstract style towards figurative representations of animals. His numerous public works include To Hurry Up (1981), situated in the courtyard of Parliament House; the Mika Waltari Memorial (1985) in the Etu-Töölö district of Helsinki; Passing By (2015), commissioned by the University of Jyväskylä; and Fish Story (2016), created for the New Children's Hospital in Helsinki. 

Works by Veikko Hirvimäki (b. 1941) are held in several prominent Finnish art collections, including those of the Museum of Contemporary Art Kiasma, the WAM Museum of Contemporary Art, the Amos Anderson Foundation and the Saastamoinen Foundation. His sculptures are also represented in international collections, including those of the Gothenburg Museum of Art, as well as the collections of Joshua Rechnitz in the United States, Jean-Louis du Roy de Blicquy in Belgium and the City of Lausanne in Switzerland. Galerie Forsblom has represented Hirvimäki since 1985. The artist lives and works in Ballaigues, Switzerland.