Meet Lapinlahti people: Kasper Muttonen

“An abandoned, derelict building.” This is how Kasper Muttonen reminisces his first impressions of the main building of Lapinlahti Hospital ten years ago. Kasper is a sculptor who graduated from the Academy of Fine Arts and works as a spatial designer for Lapinlahden Lähde Oy. 

In spring 2014, Kasper was commissioned to build a large wooden installation in the front yard of the hospital for the opening of the Lapinlahden Lähde project. At the same time, he witnessed the vandalism in the area and the transformation of Lapinlahti’s beautiful park into a forgotten no-man’s land. In June, however, the completion of the installation and the Lapinlahde Lähde were celebrated in an enthusiastic atmosphere and with a large orchestra. 

When Kasper returned to Finland in 2016 after a year of artist residencies at Villa Lante in Rome and Schloss Wiepersdorf near Berlin, Lapinlahden Lähde was well underway. The renovation of the red-brick Venetsia building on the beach into a workspace became a topical issue. Venetsia’s windows were covered up at the time, and the rooms were full of hospital-era junk, starting with old fridges. In spring 2017, Kasper was hired to coordinate the clearance and renovation project, which was carried out by volunteers, refugees and people with wage-support. During the same year, Pro Lapinlahti Mental Health Association became the first tenant of Venetsia and a Mental Museum was planned for the former bakery. Kasper also got a permanent studio in Venetsia. 

Since 2018, Kasper has been working as a spatial designer for Lähde Oy. In the beginning, the colourful job description of the spatial designer included a bit of everything: basic installations, small renovations, presentation of the space and renting. Over the years, tasks have been delegated to new employees and trainees. Kasper has also had the opportunity to follow closely the renovation of buildings in Lapinlahti. He has also studied architecture, and during a recent study for AFRY, it was “truly interesting to crawl through the attic of the main building, where no one had been for decades”. 

– The Engel-designed building is steady. If it were not well built, it would no longer be standing. There is a lot of work to be done and problems may arise, but the structure shows that the building is not falling down. There is still a lot to explore for the renovation, so it’s best to proceed slowly and carefully. It takes time, patience and manual work, Kasper estimates.

Optimistic about the future 

In ten years, activities at Lapinlahden Lähde have become more professional and organized, but many things remain the same. 

– From an artist’s point of view, it is inspiring to meet people from different fields in the area, not just artists. The atmosphere is village-like, and people greet each other on the street. The positive normlessness creates space for new ideas and new creators. Lapinlahti is a unique place in Finland in terms of its atmosphere and historical milieu. 

The discussion about Lapinlahti’s renovation is stirring up emotions, but Kasper is still optimistic about the future. Challenging situations, such as the termination of leases in December 2018, have happened before. Kasper believes that the current activities of Pro Lapinlahti and Lähde Oy could continue during the renovation. Experiences of working in exceptional circumstances are from the years 2016-2018 when the exterior renovation was carried out. Once the buildings have been renovated, Kasper sees that Lapinlahden Lähde has the potential for an even better future. 

– More projects and international contacts, but also contacts with Finnish operatives and organizations. The planned international artist residency in Venetsia would regularly bring new and interesting people to the region. Diverse art, mental health work and businesses employing people in rehabilitation.   

Kasper Muttonen has noticed that Lapinlahti as a phenomenon has also attracted a lot of interest abroad.   

– Ideally, the Lapinlahti model could be replicated internationally. Lapinlahden Lähde could serve as a model for like-minded projects that break borders and bring people together to make the world a better place. 

Text: Juhana Heikkilä
Photo: Panu Pahkamaa