Artwork of gerbera daisies captivates in Helsinki
Lehtikuva / Mikko StigA labyrinth made of a hundred thousand gerbera daisies radiates colourfully on Rautatientori, right next to the Helsinki Central Railway Station. The artwork, which has been created by the artist Kaisa Salmi, will be exhibited until Friday, when the labyrinth will be dissembled and all the flowers will be handed out to the viewers.
The labyrinth of flowers was put together on Monday. Kaisa Salmi, the artist behind the labyrinth's idea, named the artwork Eden VI. The labyrinth's hundred thousand gerbera daisies are arranged so that there is only one entrance and eight passages.
- Gerbera daisy is an excellent flower for this purpose. It comes in a variety of colours and it always moves towards the sun, a little bit like us humans, says the artist.
The flowers, which were grown in Lepola market garden near the west coast town of Turku, were brought to the location in Helsinki by trucks.
- There should be less cars in the centre of the city and more parks and cycle paths. However, this is not a statement. Rather, I emphasize the importance of the environment and nature for our well-being, comments Salmi.
The artwork is not Kaisa Salmi's first creation with gerbera daisies. In summer 2007 she decorated the steps to the Parliament house in Helsinki with 60 000 flowers.
