Results of International Poster Competition “Save Lapinlahti with a poster” 2023

Julkaistu 24/07/2023

save lapinlahti with a poster näyttelyn voittaja julisteet

An exhibition of the best posters selected by the jury of the international Save Lapinlahti with a Poster art competition, organised by the Lapinlahti Community, has been opened in Lapinlahti Lähtei. The competition and its exhibition advocate the preservation of the old Lapinlahti psychiatric hospital in Helsinki as a centre for art, culture and mental wellbeing and the preservation of the hospital under Finnish ownership.

The opening of the Save Lapinlahti with a Poster poster art competition exhibition on 9 July brought a large number of people interested in political poster art and the defence of Lapinlahti’s current activities to Lapinlahti. At the opening ceremony, 24 posters were unveiled, selected by a jury of international poster art professionals from among the 340 posters submitted to the competition. The poster competition was won by the Bolivian-Cuban Frank Arbelo, with Jutta Kivilompolo in second place and Pekka Piippo in third. Jutta Kivilompolo and Hilppa Hyrkkää came first in the public vote at the opening ceremony. The jury was chaired by the well-known Finnish graphic artist Pekka Loiri, who spoke at the opening ceremony about the nature of poster art. He explains:

“A good poster is like a barking stray dog that leaves its mark on the lampposts, but when necessary it can be a puppy or a noble pedigree dog. It may behave like a street urchin, but if need be, it knows how to open the door for its lady with a polite bow. He is sternly for or against, but above all, he always tells a story. A poster artist tells his story with a poster.”

A situation like the Lapinlahti hospital, where the profit motive of an international real estate investor threatens organically born civic and organisational activities, was recognised worldwide. The poster competition spread around the world, with entries from over fifteen countries. The themes of the competition were: showcasing the unique cultural history of Lapinlahti Hospital, defending Lapinlahti as a grassroots centre for art, culture and mental well-being, and the threat to a Finnish cultural heritage site posed by an international real estate investment company.

The jury was chaired by Pekka Loiri, with Tomasz Boguslawski (Poland), Götz Gramlich (Germany), Anette Lenz (France), Angelina Lippert (USA), Susana Machicao (Bolivia) and Klaus Welp (Finland).

The Save Lapinlahti with a Poster competition exhibition will be on display in the front yard of the main building of Lapinlahti Hospital from 9 July to 31 August 2023. The competition is made possible by Lapinlahden Lähde Oy, Pro Lapinlahti mental health association, Kakspy Palvelut Oy and ARMI Creatives Advertising.

Below you can see the Winners and selected artworks: