PUBLIC ART

THE MUSHROOM

Bronze sculpture and sound installation – 2023.
Placed in the Art Park of Hanaholmen Swedish - Finnish Cultural Center, located in Espoo.

The Mushroom is an interactive artwork that combines an olive-green bronze sculpture with a dreamy, evocative soundworld. Underground biosensors pick up communication between a fungus mycelium and tree roots. These impulses are turned into a mysterious music that can be heard on the seashore of Hanaholmen’s southwestern promontory. 

The installation was inspired by current ecological research, with multiple experiments showing that fungi, trees and other plants actively engage in intelligent action and extensive cooperation. Visual artist Gunzi Holmström wants to spark curiosity and interest in the complex ecological processes that go on hidden from our eyes. The soft, meditative soundworld lets us experience how life and consciousness are all around us in nature. 

The Mushroom is Holmström’s third public artwork. The technical design and implementation were done by Jari Lehtinen, and the piece uses tones from the Bell Tree instrument made by the Danish company Aluphone. The Mushroom has been produced by Hanaholmen – the Swedish-Finnish Cultural Centre, Konstsamfundet, and Pro Artibus Foundation, which was also the project’s artistic expert. The technical implementation was made by Jari Lehtinen.

OMPHALOMIN
2006
interactive sound sculpture. Mixed media, height 80 cm.

The Omphalomin is a permanent outdoor sound sculpture. It was commissioned by the Helsinki City Art Museum 2006 and it is placed in a park in eastern Helsinki (Rekipellonpuisto, Vesala).

The sculpture is made of stainless steel and creates sound through optical sensors, which react to the movement of the hands of the player. My inspiration for this work was the theremin, one of the first electronic instruments (1919) and designed to be played without being touched by it's creator Léon Theremin.

”Omphalos” is Greek and means ”navel”, the centre of the world. The mirror-like surface of the sculpture reflects the environment, and the optic sensors reacts softly to the movement of the hands of the player. The sound works as a sculptural element – it has a mould, texture and dynamics.

I also planned the three winding stone aisles that lead up to the small hill where the sculpture is placed.

My thanks to Jari Lehtinen who invented the technical solutions, and to Klas Fontell at the Helsinki City Art Museum who believed in the idea.

CALEIDOSKOPE
light sculpture, 2002, 2 m x 2 m, technique mixed.

The "Caleidoskope" was commissioned by the Helsinki City for a new building in Laajasalo in Helsinki (a health and social center).

The lights (duo color RBG LEDs) are programmed to change color in certain intervals. The light pattern is constantly changing, and new mandala patterns are created.

© Gun Holmström 2025