The artist's pain and the helping shop – Kellokoski Hospital Museum opens on Saturday 17 May.
Come and raise a glass with us to celebrate spring and life! The Kellokoski Hospital Museum and its gallery Alitajuntaan will open the art exhibition u0026quot;I have given birth to life and thought about deathu0026quot; on Saturday 17 May at 11 a.m. Toasts and the artistu0026#x27;s reception will take place at 1.30 p.m., followed by an hour-long art-themed walking tour of the hospital grounds at 2 p.m.: a contemporary dance performance, Prinsessan kieltolakilaulu (The Princessu0026#x27;s Prohibition Song), a rare piece by Venny Soldan-Brofeldt, psychedelic murals in the art stairwell, and the symbolism of Rauni Liukkou0026#x27;s Prinsessa monument. We will be surrounded by the hospitalu0026#x27;s well-tended parks and magnificent architecture.
After the birth of her first child, artist Riikka Gröndahl suffered from severe headaches. Through the pain, reality appeared unfiltered and unbearable. Gröndahl channelled and processed her condition through drawing: the artist’s lines thicken into moments of dark anxiety and lighten into airy experiences of detachment from the body. The title of the exhibition, ‘I have given birth to life and thought about death’, encapsulates the tension between the opposites experienced by Gröndahl. As the pain distorted her mind, it was drawing that reminded her of being alive.
“I was impressed by the powerful physicality of the images. They broaden our understanding of the gaps in life and the possibilities of art when words fail,” says Harri Nyman, public relations officer at the Tuusula Museum.
Museum Shop
The Työkeskus Puoti shop at the nearby Ohkola Psychiatric Hospital is making a long-awaited return to the hospital museum. The shop sells handicrafts made by patients, such as woven items, ceramics and crochet work. The designs are based on long-standing traditions, but also on new creative designs. The work activities at the cosy Work Centre, which take into account the patients’ abilities, are part of the hospital’s functional rehabilitation. They maintain functional capacity, encourage learning new things and strengthen self-confidence. The proceeds from the museum shop go towards patient activities at the Ohkola Hospital.
“The shop brings an example of modern-day psychiatric hospitals to the museum,” says Harri Nyman, adding that the patients’ works are astonishingly beautiful: they must have a truly therapeutic effect on their creators.
Walking tours around the hospital
The museum’s daily walking tour of the hospital grounds and buildings at 1 p.m., which has become a favourite with the public, will continue this summer, and the ever-fascinating historical exhibition highlights the development of Western psychiatry and tells the story of the hospital legend. Welcome to Kellokoski in the summer of 2025. The historic village centre with its hospital, ironworks, church, rapids, parks, cafés, museums and boutiques is a wonderful destination for a day trip!
A warm welcome!
Kellokoski Hospital Museum
Old Highway 198, Kellokoski
tuusula.fi/kellokosken-hospital-museum(switch to another service)
Open in 2025
17 May, 24 May and 31 May, Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
1 June to 20 July, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
21 July to 3 August Come to the Museum weeks Tuesday–Sunday 11 a.m.–5 p.m.
7–10 August Thursday, Saturday, Sunday 11am–5pm
16 August, 23 August and 30 August Saturday 11am–5pm
and on event days in the Kellokoski area, e.g. 18 May on International Museum Day.
Admission to the museum is free, and museum events are free of charge.
On the opening day, Saturday 17 May, the art walk will depart from in front of the museum at 2 p.m. (on other days, tours depart at 1 p.m.).
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Further information
Harri Nyman
This content has been translated using AI