Spring / UKK Monument, Memorial in Hakasalmi Park, Helsinki, Finland.
The Spring monument is an artwork in Hakasalmi Park featuring a drop-shaped stainless steel pool with four oversized bronze hands mounted on tall posts reaching about 8 meters high. The pool covers roughly 60 square meters and has water flowing through it throughout the year.
The memorial was unveiled in September 2000 to mark the 100th birth anniversary of an influential Finnish politician. The sculpture was designed by artist Pekka Jylhä and represents the foundation of a modern political era in Finland.
The monument honors a former Finnish president through four large bronze hands rising from posts, symbolizing how he communicated his ideas. Visitors can view these gestures from different spots in the park and sense the importance of written expression to this historical figure.
The artwork sits in the middle of the park and is easily reached from the pathways, including for visitors with reduced mobility. The best views come from different positions in the park, so a slow walk around the monument is worthwhile.
The four hands look completely different when photographed from above compared to how they appear when walking through the park from ground level. This change in perspective is intentional and makes each visit feel fresh and surprising.
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