Pro arte utili

The granite sculpture Pro arte utili was unveiled in the courtyard of the former building of the Lahti Institute of Design in 1994. The building is now part of the Paavola Campus. The title of the work means “for useful art”. The sculpture was made in honour of three retiring teachers, which is why it is also known as The Three Blacksmiths statue. The work was realised as a student competition, the idea for which came from sculptor Heikki Häiväoja. The competition was won by Olli Aalto, and students and teachers from different departments of the Institute of Design participated in realising the work.

The work is a tall, rectangular stone slab that depicts a broken rock shaped by water. At its base is cullet, i.e. crushed glass. The sculpture is located in front of the building, at the top of the stairs leading up to the entrance.

Artwork on the map

In front of the building, at the top of the stairs. – Kannaksenkatu 22, Lahti.
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