This is an introduction of public funding project of an art project ”Last Chicane”. It is also an execution plan for it. This is written by artist Eeva Kouvalainen, who is also the project manager. This introduction includes a plan of schedule, the principals and goals of funding project, involvment of community and substitution for funders. Actualizing this mural would not only fortify the spirits of the local community, it has the potential to form into local landmark and productized design for example tourism use into digital and physical environments. This idea has been introduced to Mesenaatti.me and Art Committee of Jyväskylä. The paper of ”Suurjyväskylä” mentioned this project in an artist interview in may 5. 2021. Every party has shown green light for this project.
What does ”from Jyväskylä” mean?
Here is a literal explination on the reasons ”Last Chican” would be perfect description of Jyväskylä!
– The name it self , ”Chican” is a curve intentionally built in the way of motor sports driver to force slowing down
-The map of Jyväskylä is in the figure´s cloth
– Chican´s siluet, ”S” is in the middle, just like the ”S” in the word ”JyväSkylä”
– All the clefs and staves are hidden into the painting. That indicates into Jväskylä´s reputation on music, curfew of 8pm. and the rally term co-driver´s ”reading notes”
– Assosiation to Goddess Athena is intented. How ever, this ”version” is Mother Earth (Maaemo/Mielikki) from ”Kalevala”, who recieves everyone who enters Jyväskylä. This indicates to the phrase of Jyvääskylä being the ”Athena of Finland”.
-The silhouette of the tower of ski jumping is hidden into the locks and hem, to symbolize the echos of sports Legends
-This gesture means ”Welcome” in signlanguage
-There will be an element of surprise, thet reveals itself only in special light, for example in the event of City of Lights
-The core message of this mural is: Welcome to Jyväskylä, do stay!
The plan is scetched into images of what it could look like to those who arrive to or pass by Jyväskylä just to get an idea and feel of it. The scetches are not 100% one-on-one alike with the actual outcome, but the main visual look will be accordingly to thees plans.
Locals taking part in creating mural
It would be ideal to get people to participate into actual execution of the mural! Hundreds of hand inprints of anyone volunteer on the hem line of this fugure would be concrete indication on this art piece´s origin among local community. Practicalities would be about painting organized in a public day during the summertime. This would be possible only if the location of the mural makes it possible to reach to the hem from ground. Location also determines how the painting is ”naturally protected” from vandalism, but even with that the mural works. Surely the community funds make this art piece part of the local community, but painted hand inprints would take it to the next level.
What is funding project ”Fifty Sixty”?
This project fullfills the criteria placed inorder fo for it to take place. This project has had the permission to take off with a letter of intent from Mesenaatti.me, if the wall to perform this mural is found. The painting will be performed during summer 2022. The mural is ready and painted by the 1.8.2022. Time to find the right wall, process of permissions, planning and preparations is until the 1.4.2022.
Mesenaatti.me ´s homepages indicates as follows: ”Mesenaatti.me is Finland’s first and largest reward based crowdfunding service, and also the biggest in the Nordic countries. Crowdfunding is an internationally well-established form of financing in which people together fund a project that they find important, such as a community project, building of a new service, an art project or a development of a new product. Funders receive a reward in return, for example, a service, experience, or the end product of the project – while they do not, for example, receive company shares as in equity-based crowdfunding..”
Crowdfunding project aims to collect 30000-50000 euros. The town of Jyväskylä has promised it´s max support of 3000euros. Companies and private citizens are asked to be the main funders of this project. Th funds are planned to be used into the painting work of the summer time´s excecution, materials, equipments and machines, planning, documenting and marketing. Also the creating of digital products and equivalents for the funders have been taken into account.
This project is organized and executed entirely by artist Eeva Kouvalainen. Mesenaatti.me takes care of gathering and administrating funds.
This project will have a digital environment of it´s own, where everything is openly prentented to public; plans, expenses, excecutions, stages and funders (when approval). The documenting and presenting excecution is also part of this project´s openness. Transparent and open prosess is part of this project´s nature and meaning: made together, with collective funds, into shared environment under everyone´s sight.
What does the funder get in return?
The funders get the countervalue after the mural ”Last Chican” is ready. The countervalue is made of the vizual appearance of the mural into products to be used in digital environments. They are sent to the funder via e-mail in
- picture format
- vector format
- 2D-animation (Short animation where the figure greets)
Countervalue could also mean a license of this figure to be used in physical print products.
What if the project does not come about?
If the funding goal does not realize by 1.4.2022, Mesenaatti.me returns unequivocally everything back to the funders.
Where will it be painted on?
The physichal spot for this mural is still on search. There are few criteria to it:
-The wall must exist already
-It should situate in Jyväskylä region and be seen fronm the main roads (of 4 or 9 )
-Preference form of the wall would be vertical rectangle
-Surface should be paintable (not grate or rock for example))
-A crane can be situated next to the wall
All the materials used on the surface of the selected wall will be taken into account. Administrator of the building is free from all duties and expences regarding the mural during or after it has been excecuted. Administration has the right to paint over, unbuild or take mural down for any constructional reasons. Administration doesn´t have any obligations to redo possibly deleted mural. There will be a possibility and right to special lightening the mural during special times (like City of Light-happening) with the permission of administration of the building.
Who is this artist?
Hey, You! Let me tell a bit about my self: I come from an artist family. I moved to Jyväskylä from an art home ”Hunninko” in 2007, from the town of Pyhäjärvi. I graduated from (JAMK) University of Applied Scienses into Fashion Designer in 2012, where my studies were emhasitzed in culture, arts and entrepreneurship. From 2013 I have been setting up my family and established a small art business. In 2020 I finished my intensive studies of Graphic Design. Now I have the occupational know-how not only in arts and graphic design, but also in 2d-animation, layout design, making video and photography. Many tools to manage as an art freelancer!
Nowadays I work as an art entrepreneur with painting and illustration projects from my home in Jyskä, Jyväskylä, where I live with my family. I have illustrated children´s books, created visual expressions for business owners and organized art exhibitions. I work as an art teacher at Jyväskylä Christian Institute and an art tutor Wine&Arts events. Weekly I draw a strip of MAMI-cartoon about my life for humour and peersupport for parents.
You are most welcome to get aquinted with my art from my homepage at: www.eevakouvalainen.fi/inenglish . I am active in (in Finnish) Linkedin(Eeva Kouvalainen), (in Finnish)Facebookissa (Eeva Kouvalainen Art) and in (in English) Instagramissa (@eeva.k.art).
I like to think this mural as a way to pronounce ”Thank You”. I concidere my self to be the right person to wxecute this too, not only as the mother of this idea, but also as a typical example of a person who pops in to study, but finds herself at Home for a life time. The mural has a universal positive note to it and I believe in it´s possibilities to refund Jyväskylä financially and spiritually when realizing. I have full believe on Her possibilities to work as an ambassador of Jyväskylä and I wish to perform it openly, to everyone and with everyone!
You are most welcome to be a part of ”Last Chican”´s story!
With most kind regards, artist Eeva Kouvalainen mn. Korhonen