Helsinki Airport renowned as an art airport offers its passengers an excellent chance to enjoy the skilled photographs of Aho & Soldan in between their flights. The exhibition presents rare photographs of Sibelius at his home, Ainola, as well as a documentary film “Jean Sibelius at home”.
Ville Haapasaari, Airport Director, says that Finavia wanted to recognise the anniversary of the birth of the Finnish master composer in an impressive manner.
“For many international passengers, Helsinki Airport is the first and sometimes only point of contact with our country. The airport could even be called the calling card of Finland. These kinds of exhibitions are a good way of highlighting Finnish culture and art to an international audience,” Haapasaari said today at the inauguration of the exhibition.
Airport experiences are also a means to distinguish yourself from other competing airports in a memorable way. Art exhibitions provide passengers with an opportunity to relax and interesting things to do while waiting for their flight.
“Finavia has worked consistently to improve the travel experience. One of our aims is that passengers at Helsinki Airport have an opportunity for stress-free travel as a counterweight to the hustle and bustle of large European airports.
Unique photographs of Finland and Helsinki from 1920s up to 1960s
The exhibition at the airport presents the variety of the output and the significant life's work of three Finnish artists Heikki Aho, Björn Soldan and Claire Aho.
Sibelius photos are part of a larger exhibition with different five themed exhibitions totalling 230 photos.
In addition to the Sibelius exhibition, Aho and Soldan's themed exhibitions “Views of Helsinki in the 1930s” and vintage art photographs from Centre Pompidou's “The light of the North” collection are exhibited.
Claire Aho's photos take the viewers to Helsinki in 1968 and the fashion, advertisement and magazine photos in the “Studio Works” themed exhibition to the nostalgic mood of the 1950s.
Aho and Soldan's output has opened new perspectives on Finnish everyday life, history and industrialisation of the society. For their part, they have affected the image we have of the modern Finland.
Heikki Aho's daughter Claire Aho started as a documentary film-maker in the late-1940s. She filmed, for example, the 1952 summer Olympics in Helsinki. Claire Aho is also a pioneer of Finnish colour photography.
“Sibelius & Images of Finland” will be open at the airport Art Gallery until the end of 2015. Admission is free 24/7 to all passengers departing or arriving via the gate area 32–38.
Development programme leads the way to even better customer experience
The extensive EUR 900 million development programme launched by Finavia is proceeding as planned. The aim of the programme extending to 2020 is to consolidate Helsinki Airport's position as a popular transit airport in the ever tighter competition among airports.
The airport's trump cards are an excellent geographic position and the most direct flight route between Europe and Asia.
Approximately one third of transit passengers choose their route solely on the basis of the airport. In these cases, decisive factors include the airport services and smooth travel experience. Development of customer experience is one of the most important areas of Helsinki Airport's development programme, which is alo the aim of Finavia's ArtPort concept.
