Swimming hall, located near the city centre, offers a wide range of opportunities for exercise and well-being, whether you are a fan of swimming, sauna, relaxing hydromassages or water slides.
Come and enjoy and relax at our versatile swimming hall designed by renowned Finnish architect Alvar Aalto.
Jyväskylä Region Public Transport
Your Smooth Ride in the Jyväskylä Region
Explore the area comfortably, safely and sustainably with Linkki buses.
You can easily pay for your bus ticket with the Waltti Mobiili app or by contactless payment.
Tickets, routes and timetables: linkki.jyvaskyla.fi/en
JYVÄSKYLÄ CITY THEATRE, founded in 1961, produces high-quality and diverse theatrical experiences, ranging plays from new to classics. Welcome to experience the magic of theatre! jklteatteri.fi @jklteatteri
During the renovation of the ALVAR AALTO Theatre House, we are located at the Paviljonki Event Center until the end of the spring season 2026. Both auditoriums, as well as the restaurant and restroom facilities, are accessible. TICKETS jyvaskyla.lippu.fi
LOCATION Paviljonki Event Center Uno Savolan katu 8 | 40100 Jyväskylä
Jyväskylä’s Museums delight with variety! Fascinating art exhibitions at the Jyväskylä Art Museum, interesting stories of the olden times at the Craftsmens’ Houses and various craft phenomena at the Craft Museum of Finland. jyvaskyla.fi/museot
Welcome to Jyväskylä – the coolest city in Europe! 6
Eat Finland! 8
Jyväskylä in a nutshell 10
Map of Jyväskylä 12
Hotels providing Jyväskylä Times 14
Alvar anecdotes 16
A surrealist on the ski jumping hill 18
Feeling free in Jyväskylä – Printmaker Naoji Ishiyama 21
Captain Finland and the sauna etiquette 24
Would you like to return to your eternal youth? – Column by Hannele Lampela 26
Jyväskylä Times Magazine for Visitors Issue 2025–2026
www.jyvaskylatimes.fi
ISSN 3087-5447 (print)
Graphic design & layout
Petteri Mero
Mainostoimisto Knok Oy
Editor in chief Roope Lipasti
Sales manager Raimo Kurki
raimo.kurki@aikalehdet.fi
Tel. +358 45 656 7216
Sales manager Kari Kettunen
kari.kettunen@aikalehdet.fi
Tel. +358 40 481 9445
Published by Mobile-Kustannus Oy Betaniankatu 3 LH FI-20810 Turku, Finland
Member of Finnish Magazine Media Association (Aikakausmedia)
Publisher Teemu Jaakonkoski
Printed by Newprint Oy
Cover photos Swim jump.
Photo: Tommasso Fornoni / Visit Jyväskylä Region
Säynätsalo town hall . Photo: Keijo Penttinen / Visit Jyväskylä Lake Jyväsjärvi in the winter.
Photo: Tero Takalo-Eskola / City of Jyväskylä
Lutakko harbour area and Kuokkala bridge . Photo: Juhana Konttinen / City of light
Hannele Lampela.
Photo: Niki Strbian
Jyväskylä is known as a lively student city, where every third person you meet is a student. Educational institutions such as the University of Jyväskylä and the University of Applied Sciences attract students from all over Finland and the world, fostering an environment of innovation and creativity. This youthful energy permeates the city, creating a vibrant atmosphere that is both welcoming and inspiring. Jyväskylä also has a national reputation as a city of physical recreation and sport.
Visitors and residents alike are treated to a vibrant cultural scene, ranging from the symphony orchestra and city theatre to urban subculture. The city is a lively venue for all kinds of events. Particularly well-known are the Jyväskylä Festival, the longest continuously organised city festival in the Nordic countries, and the Secto Rally Finland, a round of the Finnish World Rally Championship. Jyväskylä has decades of rally history, and the Finnish Rally has regularly been
As the capital of Alvar Aalto, Jyväskylä is a real treat for those interested in world-famous architecture. Jyväskylä is home to more significant Aalto buildings from different periods than anywhere else in the world. These 29 buildings include Aalto's masterpiece, Säynätsalo Town Hall, which the New York Times called one of the most influential post-war buildings in the world. Jyväskylä and the surrounding area also boast two of Finland's seven UNESCO World Heritage Sites: Petäjävesi Old Church, a masterpiece of Nordic wooden architecture from the 18th century, and the Oravivuori triangulation point in the Struve chain. How cool is that?
As a city, Jyväskylä presents a unique combination of urban atmosphere and closeness to nature, and even in the busy city centre you are only a few steps away from the delights of nature. The city's location in the heart of Lakeland Finland and Europe's largest integrated lake district makes for a breathtaking landscape. There are nearly 4,000 lakes in the region, the largest of which is Finland's longest and deepest lake, Lake Päijänne. The region's waterways provide a wide range of water activities. For example, canoeing, swimming and lake cruising are all possible within a stone's throw of the centre of Jyväskylä. The four national parks in the Jyväskylä region offer an opportunity to experience Finnish nature in all its diversity. And after a day in the great outdoors, what could be better than enjoying the warmth of the saunas in the World Sauna Region?
Europe's coolest city is cool in all four seasons. As dusk falls earlier and earlier in the autumn, Jyväskylä glows even brighter. The city has invested in quality urban lighting for more than 25 years and currently has more than a hundred permanently illuminated locations, such as bridges, building facades and works of art. Illuminated landmarks such as the observation tower on Harju Ridge, Matti Nykänen's ski jump, Kuokkala Bridge and Kuokkala Water Tower shape Jyväskylä's skyline and welcome visitors to the City of Light. In winter, Lake Jyväsjärvi in the city centre, at Lutakko harbour, freezes over and becomes a two-kilometre-long skating rink.
I hope you enjoy your visit here in Jyväskylä and welcome you back to our city anytime.
Timo Koivisto mAyor oF Jyväskylä
Sokkari shopping centre / sokkari.fi
Kauppakatu 24, Jyväskylä.
Welcome to Sokkari!
Right in the middle of the city Sokkari shopping centre with it’s thirty speciality stores and restaurants offers a first-class service experience. Come and sample the Sokkari vibe, we’re certain you’ll enjoy the time spent with us!
Opening hours:
Mon–Fri 10 am–8 pm
Sat 10 am–6 pm and Sun 11 am–5 pm
Tawast shopping centre / kauppakeskustawast.fi
Kauppakatu 33–35, Jyväskylä.
Welcome to Tawast!
Enjoy, have fun and shop right in the heart of Jyväskylä!
Opening hours:
Mon–Fri 7 am–8.30 pm Sat 7 am–6 pm and Sun 11 am–6 pm
Forum shopping centre / forumjkl.fi
Kauppakatu 22–24 and Vapaudenkatu 49–51, Jyväskylä.
Welcome to Forum!
We have everything you need for everyday life and celebrations – right in the middle of city life!
Opening hours: Mon–Fri 9 am–9 pm Sat 9 am–6 pm and Sun 12 am–6 pm
Earlier this year, the online publication TasteAtlas ranked the world’s worst-tasting foods, and Finland won – whoo-hoo! More specifically, the winner was the traditional Finnish dish veripalttu. The title was undoubtedly deserved. Veripalttu, a kind of blood pudding, contains beef or reindeer blood, rye and wheat flour, and water and tastes just as good as it sounds. If you’re unlucky enough, you might come across this dish in North Ostrobothnia.
In any case, it feels good to win. Though there are plenty of other traditional foods in Finland that also would have stood a good chance in the competition.
For example, the word klimppisoppa, ‘clump soup’, alone is enough to make older folks in Finland still shudder. It’s made by boiling beef bones or beef shoulder, and the clumps – balls of wheat dough – are added at the end. The finished dish looks like vomit. It’s a South Ostrobothnian idea of tasty food.
Meanwhile, Savo’s gift to the world is mykyrokka. It’s a soup that contains potatoes, meat, heart, offal and dumplings called myky. The dumplings are clumps (more clumps!) made from flour and blood, which are cooked in boiling water.
And what about the traditional Turku – or more broadly, Western Finnish – dish, kaljavelli? It’s a soup made from home-brewed small ale, raisins and cubes of leipäjuusto, ‘bread cheese’. The question arises: why?
Fortunately, Finland has better things to offer, as well. The following foods are genuinely delicious and things that a tourist should try at least once.
Sautéed reindeer, a dish from Lapland, is made from reindeer round steak. But despite its main ingredient, it can be found all over the country. On the side, you’ll need a mash of delicious ‘Puikula’ potatoes
and lingonberry jam. ‘Lapin Puikula’ potatoes are grown specifically in Lapland, and are yellower, sweeter and tastier than potatoes from elsewhere in Finland. The excellent qualities of this old potato variety are a result of Lapland’s bright summer nights and short growing season, which requires that the potatoes be harvested early, before their sugar has had time to turn into starch.
Karjalanpiirakka
Karelian pasties have a rye crust filled with rice porridge. Karelian pasties are a funny-looking food, and as the name suggests, they originate from Eastern Finland. These days, however, they’ve spread throughout the country. They’re also a good food if there happens to be a picky child in the family – a Karelian pasty is generally acceptable to everyone. Karelian pasties are eaten with an egg-butter topping: a boiled egg is mashed and mixed with softened butter. This treat is often available at hotel breakfasts.
Rönttönen
A rönttönen is a northeastern version of Karelian pasties: instead of rice porridge, sweetened mashed potatoes or crushed berries are used as a filling. The word itself is quite onomatopoeic and can mean a small or clumsy object, or in some dialects, be used as a vulgar word for female genitalia – the association likely comes from the pasty’s shape.
Kalakukko
Kalakukko is another traditional food from Savo. A kukko is a baked dish with a rye crust that looks like a loaf of bread and usually contains plenty of fresh vendace and fatty side pork. Kind of a food surprise!
Ruisleipä
Finland is the promised land of rye. Finns love rye bread, in particular, which isn’t available in many other countries. Rye bread keeps for a long time and is very high in fiber, which makes it healthy. When Finns move abroad, they usually ask their friends to bring rye bread when they come to visit.
Mustamakkara
Tampere’s gift to the world: a black sausage that looks suspicious, but tastes good! In the ’80s, this food was still referred to as kuuma sian verimakkara, ‘hot pig’s blood sausage’, which was maybe not the best idea when it comes to brand associations. When the dish started to be
called black sausage, its popularity quickly increased. Black sausage is usually enjoyed with lingonberry jam. For a complete gourmet experience, you should eat it at the market square in Tampere and wash it down with cold milk.
Paistetut muikut
Vendace is a 5–20-centimeter-long fish in the salmon family that lives in schools in lakes and is the most important commercial fish species for professional fishermen in Finland’s inland waters. While particularly common in the Finnish lake region, fried vendace can be found at every major outdoor event in larger cities these days. They are usually eaten with mashed potatoes. A more Helsinki-style version of this is fried baltic herring, which is similarly coated in rye flour and fried.
Salmiakki
Salmiakki is Finland’s national candy. This black and strongly flavored confection is not much liked elsewhere, though it is eaten to some extent in the other Nordic countries and in the Netherlands. It’s worth giving salmiakki a chance, however. And if not as candy, you can also drink it in alcoholic form: salmiakkikossu, which is made by dissolving so much salmiakki in vodka that you can’t taste the alcohol, makes for an excellent shot! It’s so good, in fact, that when it was first launched in the 1990s, it was banned precisely because it didn’t taste like alcohol and was therefore considered dangerous by the authorities. These days, it’s back on the market. Salmiakki is made by mixing ammonium chloride into licorice.
Salmon soup was originally an archipelago dish, but today, you can find it everywhere. In addition to salmon fillets, the soup contains potatoes, carrots and leeks – and cream. It’s often eaten with saaristolaisleipä, ‘archipelago bread’, a malty rye loaf sweetened with syrup.
Blueberry pie is the perfect ending to any summer meal. Finnish blueberries, or more precisely, bilberries, are small, but that makes them all the sweeter. Blueberry season usually starts in July. Finland’s ‘Everyman’s right’ guarantees that anyone can go into the forest to pick berries. In a pie, the berries really shine! s
Written by roope Lipasti
Jyväskylä is one of the most central cities in Finland, and not just on a map. Located not only in the middle of Finland, but also in the middle of lakes, it is the most beautiful and vibrant city. Jyväskylä is home to just under 150,000 people, making it the seventh largest city in Finland. The entire region has a population of just over 190,000 people. The city is old by Finnish standards, having been founded in 1837.
However, the area has been inhabited since the Stone Age. The earliest known inhabitant by name was Heikki Ihanninpoika Jyväsjoki, mentioned in documents dating from 1506.
Due to good waterways and roads, Jyväskylä developed into a small trading town. It was first granted market rights in 1801, and when city rights were applied for a little later, the application cited the liveliness of the place, as a dyer, tanner, goldsmith, coppersmith and tinsmith had settled there, and there was a tavern that was always open!
Even today, there is one open 24/7, at least for fast food lovers, but also the rest of the town's restaurant scene is pretty good.
Jyväskylä is Also known in Finland as the "Athens of Finland", referring to the city's long cultural tradition. Jyväskylä was committed to education and, among other things, the first institution to provide teacher training in Finnish, for both men
and women, was founded in the city in 1863. Jyväskylä also wanted to have a university as early as in the 19th century, although one was not established until 1966. In any case, Jyväskylä is currently the largest student city in Finland in terms of population. Almost every third person in the city is a student – there are around 40,000 of them – and this of course has an impact on the city's events and lively nightlife.
A striking feature of Jyväskylä is its many lakes, which can be found in every direction. So it's not difficult to go swimming! Also regular steamboat services began as early as in the 1850s, and you can still take a steamboat in summer to explore the Päijänne landscape.
The Ridge (Harju) in the centre of the town and the observation tower there are also recognisable landmarks of the city. In addition to the view, The Ridge is a popular jogging and outdoor recreation area. The pedestrian street in the town centre is a hub of both shopping and restaurants.
Jyväskylä is also a rather hilly area by Finnish standards. The highest point is Pirttimäki, which is 249 metres high. In addition to the Ridge, the other well-known "mountains" are Laajavuori, where the ski resort is located, and the hill of Matti Nykänen, the city's great ski jumper.
But Jyväskylä is not only a city of culture and beautiful landscapes. As a centre of growth and one of Finland's major industrial centres after the war, its population increased sixfold. As a result, more housing was needed and – as was the country's custom – almost all the historic wooden buildings in the centre were demolished.
On the plus side, Jyväskylä is the city of Alvar Aalto (1898–1976), known worldwide for his distinctive modern architecture and design. Aalto founded his architectural practice in Jyväskylä in the autumn of 1923 and designed numerous buildings in and around the city, for example The University campus is well worth a visit. And so is the Alvar Aalto Museum. A tourist might also want to take a daytrip to the nearby towns and cities. For example, Säynätsalo Municipal Hall or Muurame Church by Aalto are popular destinations.
Especially in summer, the city also hosts a wide range of musical and cultural events, as well as the famous Jyväskylä World Rally Championship. s
Open
You’ll
01 boutique Hotel yöpuu
Yliopistonkatu 23, 40100 Jyväskylä +358 14 333 900 www.hotelliyopuu.fi
02 Forenom ApArtHotel Jyväskylä
Kilpisenkatu 8, 40100 Jyväskylä
Tel. +358 20 198 3420 www.forenom.com
03 Forenom Hostel Jyväskylä
Kauppakatu 20, 40100 Jyväskylä
Tel. +358 20 198 3420 www.forenom.com
04 Forenom serviced ApArtments
vAAsAnkAtu Jyväskylä
Vaasankatu 2, 40100 Jyväskylä
Tel. +358 20 198 3420 www.forenom.com
05 greenstAr Hotel
Heikinkatu 3, 40100 Jyväskylä
Tel. +358 10 423 9391 www.greenstar.fi
06 Hotel AlbA
Ahlmaninkatu 4, 40100 Jyväskylä
Tel. +358 14 636 311 www.hotellialba.fi
07 Hotel Jämsä
Kauhkialantie 111, 42100 Jämsä +358 14 71 791 www.hotellijamsa.fi
08 Hotel milton
Hannikaisenkatu 29, 40100 Jyväskylä
Tel. +358 14 337 7900 www.hotellimilton.com
09 Hotel verso
Kauppakatu 35, 40100 Jyväskylä
Tel. +358 14 333 999 www.hotelliverso.fi
10 peurunkA spA Hotel
Peurungantie 85, 41340 Laukaa
Tel. +358 20 751 6300 www.peurunka.fi
11 scAndic Jyväskylä city
Väinönkatu 3, 40100 Jyväskylä
Tel. +358 14 458 1010 www.scandichotels.fi
12 scAndic Jyväskylä stAtion
Vapaudenkatu 73, 40100 Jyväskylä
Tel. +358 14 330 3000 www.scandichotels.fi
13 scAndic lAAJAvuori
Laajavuorentie 30, 40740 Jyväskylä
Tel. +358 14 458 1009 www.scandichotels.fi
14 time ApArtments
Multiple Locations in Jyväskylä
Tel. +358 14 547 7392 www.timetostay.fi
15 time Hostel city
Vaasankatu 29, 40100 Jyväskylä
Tel. +358 14 547 7390 www.timetostay.fi
16 time Hostel novA
Hoitajantie 4, 40630 Jyväskylä
Tel. +358 14 547 7390 www.timetostay.fi
17 time Hotel
Vapaudenkatu 26, 40100 Jyväskylä
Tel. +358 14 547 7393 www.timetostay.fi
Nauti luonnosta, retkeilystä VedenjakajaReitistöllä, monipuolisesta kulttuurista ja mukavista tapahtumista
10 minutes by boat from the Laukaan harbour
Experience the largest rock paintings in Fennoscandia by cruising, boating, kayaking, or paddleboarding!
Saraakallio Center in the Spa & Resort Peurunka Saraakallio viewing platform
visitlaukaa.fi/en
Riitta Nelimarkka – Hallittua runsautta Kulttuurikeskus Poleenin kesänäyttely 23.5.–9.8.
Häkkilän tilallavoit törmätävaikka FarmiPehtooriin!Suomen
Antiikkia ja Löytöjä 19.–20.7.
Pieksämäen Dekkarit -festivaali 26.–27.7.
Taidekatu 2025 – teemana Ilo Big Wheels 23. harrasteajoneuvotapahtuma 19.7.
visitpieksamaki.fi
Nähtävää & koettavaakokoympäriperheelle vuoden.
Alvar Aalto (1898-1976) is Finland’s most internationally renowned architect. His works can be found all over the world, but of course especially in Finland. Aalto liked publicity and was, in a way, a rock star of his time, so many anecdotes and stories about him have survived. Here, we’ve collected some of the best.
Although Alvar Aalto’s career as an architect was, for the most part, an exceptional success, there were also setbacks over the years. His first real functionalist-style work was the Maalaistentalo in Turku. The building included a theater that turned out to be far from functional. For example, 50 of the seats in the theater came to be known as “Aalto’s seats,” for which tickets could not be sold because nothing at all could be seen when sitting there. And that’s not all. During construction, the theater director pointed out to Aalto that the heavy concrete structures would make for terrible acoustics. Aalto wasn’t bothered by the claim. He took out a cigarette case, wrote some numbers on it, did a few calculations, and concluded that the acoustics of the theater would be great! The director of the theater later said that the most fitting punishment for Aalto for his design of the theater would be to make him work there.
The maestro must have used those same cigarette-case calculations for Finlandia Hall, whose acoustics were anything but great. Though it’s worth remembering that Finlandia Hall was built for the 1975 meeting of the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe, so it was the building’s acoustics for speech, not for music, that would have been important.
A Alto wA s An Avid cinephile and involved in establishing the country’s first film club in Helsinki. When there was a problem with the club’s permits, the matter ended up in court, and Aalto made such a long speech in defense of the art of cinema that the judge started doodling stick figures and finally cut off the architect’s rambling. The club was shut down anyway because it had screened the works of Russian revolutionary directors, which was too radical for the 1930s.
It also wasn’t a particularly good idea to irritate Aalto. Once, at a Nordic meeting of architects, he was accused of being a communist and immediately responded by physically attacking the critic. Aalto really wasn’t a communist, and he had fought on the side of the Whites in the Finnish Civil War.
AAlto wAs A pioneer in many ways. For example, he developed an apartment building that was constructed from elements, which was practically unheard of in the 1920s. He also designed house plans for Finland’s postwar reconstruction that were standardized and easy to build – the kit homes of the time.
On the other hand, Aalto also designed very unique projects. For example, the Paimio Sanatorium is one of the most important functionalist buildings. It’s a complete work of art, for which Aalto designed everything possible himself, including the interiors and furniture.
At one point, when the hospital was being renovated, the original bent plywood armchairs, the so-called Paimio chairs, were thrown into a dump without a second thought. Collectors came to recover them in the dark of night. It was a smart move: these days, the chairs can go for thousands of euros at auction.
In Addition to buildings, Aalto designed furniture and household items that are still fixtures in Finnish homes. For example, every Finn knows the Aalto vase. One version of the vase’s origin story is that Aalto’s father was a land surveyor, and when Alvar accompanied him in the field as a little boy, he became familiar with topographic maps, whose contour lines eventually inspired the shape of a vase. The other theory is more straightforward: when Aalto entered the vase in a design competition, he named it “Eskimo woman’s leather pants.” The vase is supposedly the shape of stiff sealskin pants when you’ve taken your legs out of them.
The world’s smallest Aalto vase was created in 2008, standing 600 nanometers tall. If you wanted to use it to fill a liter-sized Aalto vase with water, you would have to make ten million billion trips to fetch water.
Aalto was also one of the founders of the design company Artek, which still manufactures furniture designed by Aalto at the Korhonen furniture factory near Turku. However, Aalto didn’t design everything on his own: his first wife, Aino, and his second wife, Elsa-Kaisa, known as Elissa, made significant contributions to Aalto’s success, but as is often the case in women’s history, their contributions have only been recognized in recent years.
When Aalto traveled abroad, he always held a press conference when he returned to Finland.
In tHe old dAys, things had to be durable, so Aalto and furniture manufacturer Otto Korhonen tested the durability of their world-famous three-legged stool by throwing the prototype at the floor with all their might to see if it would last. It did.
When their first three-legged stool was complete, the men were extremely satisfied with the result and projected that sales could very well number in the thousands. To date, more than a million stools have been produced, with no end in sight.
In terms of volume, the second-most popular Aalto piece of furniture is a regular side chair, like those found in churches, libraries, and the like. Its genius was that the chairs could be stacked, making them easy to store when not in use.
AAlto knew He was a good architect, and he didn’t keep his light under a bushel basket. For example, Architectural Review once sent him a questionnaire about the significance of public buildings in architecture. Aalto replied that he would rather let his buildings speak for themselves.
When Aalto traveled abroad, he always held a press conference when he returned to Finland. In addition to making known the important fact that the maestro had returned home, he usually had things to say about the latest trends in world architecture.
Aalto was also careful that everything was done exactly as he intended. When he drove past Säynätsalo Town Hall, which he had designed, he saw that neon lights had been mounted on its walls –without his permission. So he threw stones at the lights to break them.
This probably explains why the Italian marble that forms the facade of Finlandia Hall and cannot withstand the Finnish winter and warps has already had to be replaced twice now, and both times, it has been replaced with the same Italian marble that cannot withstand the Finnish winter and warps.
A little pettiness was apparent when Aalto named his boat “No man is a prophet in his own land” – albeit in Latin (“Nemo propheta in patria”). That certainly wasn’t at all true in his case. A few years ago, the Aalto vase was voted the country’s most beloved design object, and on the list of the most important people in the history of Finland, Aalto came in at 33, the highest-ranking architect. s
ALVAR AALTO IN JYVÄSKYLÄ AND NEARBY
Alvar Aalto –museum (Alvar Aallon katu 7, Jyväskylä) on map (page 12)
Jyväskylä City Theatre (Vapaudenkatu 36)
University of Jyväskylä (Seminaarinkatu 15)
Nemo Propheta In Patria, a boat designed by Alvar Aalto (The harbour of Lutakko, Satamakatu, Jyväskylä)
Muurame Church (Sanantie 7, Muurame)
Säynätsalo Town Hall (Parviaisentie 9, Säynätsalo)
A Finnish gallerist has added a jumping suit worn by legendary ski jumper Matti Nykänen to his collection because, in his opinion, Nykänen was the most surrealistic athlete in the world.
THe Art BAnk gAllery, on the island of Pargas in the Turku archipelago, houses the only private exhibition of Salvador Dalí works in the Nordic countries. Gallerist Ted Wallin, who has in numerous interviews assured incredulous journalists that he is the reincarnation of Dalí, has now acquired for his collection a jumping suit that ski jumper Matti Nykänen wore at least during a Four Hills Tournament in the 1980s. According to an interview with Helsingin Sanomat (6 February 2025), Wallin had a clear motivation: “Nykänen
A comment from the beginning of his singing career is so surrealistic that even Dalí would have been proud to hear it: “The album is already recorded. Next, I’m going to take singing lessons.”
was the most surrealistic athlete in the world. We [surrealists], after all, cultivate a slightly-more-than-reality feeling.” He has a point, though the competition for the title of the world’s most surrealistic athlete is fierce. What makes Nykänen more qualified for the title than, say, larger- and stranger-than-life figures like Diego Maradona and Dennis Rodman?
Nykänen’s particular strength is his wide-ranging surrealism. He resembles Salvador Dalí in that a total work of art includes not only one’s artistic production, but also the artist’s personality and, in practice, everything he does. The Dalí Theatre and Museum, which Dalí built in Figueres, Spain, and opened in 1974, uses paintings, sculptures and various decorative objects to create an assemblage that depicts Dalí and his art, with each room also featuring an independent work of art.
The artwork created by Nykänen’s life is performative (although a monument entitled Höyhen, ‘Feather’, has been erected for Nykänen in his hometown of Jyväskylä), a story that bounces in different directions in an almost dreamlike (and sometimes also nightmarish) way, like the legendary film Un Chien Andalou made by Dalí and Luis Buñuel. The story begins with an incredible sports career (ten gold medals from the Olympics and World Championships between 1981 and 1990, plus 48 World Cup wins and four overall victories), during which he made headlines not only for his sporting achievements but also for his colorful personal life. The peak of his kiosk break-ins and other drunken antics was his winter 1987 “training camp” in Spain: Nykänen, after a dispute with the Finnish Ski Association, goes south for two weeks to party, returns for the World Championships and wins silver.
After his sports career, Nykänen followed Dalí’s advice that if you want people’s attention, you have to provoke them, and he worked as both a striptease dancer and a pop singer. A comment from the beginning of his singing career is so surrealistic that even Dalí would have been proud to hear it: “The album is already recorded. Next, I’m going to take singing lessons.”
Nykänen’s steadily worsening alcoholism ultimately turned his epic-turned-comedy into a tragedy. At first, Nykänen’s domestic and other violence brought him suspended sentences, until the drunken stabbing of a male acquaintance brought him a prison sentence of over two years in 2004. Nykänen’s life ended in 2019. He was only 55 years old at the time.
In a new documentary by Olli Laine, Nykänen’s sister Päivi sums up his tragedy as follows: “The gift he had was too great for him to bear.” The weight of Nykänen’s burden is all the more
evident considering that Nykänen was only diagnosed with ADHD as an adult, and that not only journalists, fans and managers, but also officials from the Finnish Ski Association more often took advantage of, mocked or enabled Nykänen’s destructive behavior than acted as his friends or supporters. Perhaps he would have even endorsed Dalí’s words: “It is not me who is the clown, but this monstrously cynical and so unconsciously naive society, which plays the game of seriousness in order better to hide its madness.”
In addition to his sporting success and his ultimately sad life story, Nykänen is especially remembered for his one-liners, which in their absurdity and funniness rival those of Dalí. For example: “The greatest tragedy of today’s youth is that I’m not one of them anymore.”
A few of Nykänen’s best: “Life is the best time to be alive” / “Love is like a ball of string – it begins and it ends” / “Germany-Austria is my second homeland” / “Having experienced everything, I can say that there are still things left to experience.” And one more, which meets the demands of surrealism’s main theorist, André Breton, by effortlessly brushing aside the shackles of logic and limitations of everyday reality: “You can’t undo what you haven’t done.”
Finally, it’s worth remembering that ski jumping itself is a surreal sport, in which you fly on skis for a distance that can top 200 meters down a hill. Perhaps the most incredible performance of Nykänen’s career was at the 1982 World Championships in Oslo, where on the last day of the competition, the large hill was shrouded in a dense blanket of fog. Any sane person would have thought the competition should be canceled, but the officials decided otherwise. Many jumpers fell or landed their jumps dozens of meters shorter than normal. Nykänen, on the other hand, set off from the top of the jumping hill (as if determined to prove true the famous quote of Dalí’s, “The only difference between me and a madman is that I’m not mad”), briefly emerged from the fog at the take-off, and flew unseen to the bottom of the hill, where he materialized again and won gold. That jump was like something straight out of Salvador Dalí’s restless dreams. s
Matti Nykänen’s memorial called ”The Feather” is located in Hippos area. Address: Köyhälammenranta. on map (page 12)
Written by eerika häyrinen
Japanese printmaker
Naoji Ishiyama came to Jyväskylä for a year and 22 years later he still enjoys the city's atmosphere.
The Ratamo centre for printmaking and photography, located in the Jyväskylä Veturitallit, attracts artists from around the world. This unique workshop has its roots in 1977, when the city of Jyväskylä established Finland’s first municipal printmaking workshop. Naoji Ishiyama continues the honorable traditions of this graphic arts city as the workshop's supervisor.
”It has been easy for me to live and work in Jyväskylä as a foreigner. The printmaking centre has an open atmosphere for graphic artists, just like the city itself.”
Naoji Ishiyama arrived in Jyväskylä with his wife and 5-year-old daughter in 2003. Originally from Niihama City Ehime Prefecture, the artist grew up in Tokyo, studied at the Aichi Prefectural University of Fine Arts and worked in Nagoya, before deciding to look for new horizons for his art.
”I received a state grant to work abroad for one year. At first my plan was to travel to Italy, but then a friend showed me an exhibition catalogue of Finnish printmaking. Something about that catalogue caught my attention. There was nothing technically or thematically exceptional about the works, they looked quite ordinary European prints, but nonetheless they left me with a mysterious feeling. I wanted to find out what it was.”
Ishiyama decided to visit Finland in the summer of 2002. He visited different places before finding a printmaking studio where he could work.
”I remember well the sunny day in June when I arrived in Jyväskylä for the first time. The printmaking studio was perfect, and
the people were friendly. I immediately took to the place, and my first impression of the city turned out to be correct. Jyväskylä was and still is my printmaking city.”
However, one thing surprised the art university graduate. Although there is no art university or academy of graphic arts in Central Finland, the city does have a printmaking centre and printmakers in the city.
”I think that Jyväskylä’s reputation for being a printmaking city is owed to the printmaking centre itself. That is why it is easy to be a printmaker here. Here we are accepted. That is the special feeling Jyväskylä has to offer.”
The journey has included some funny incidents. One such event, Ishiyama remembers, happened on the first night the family arrived in Helsinki.
”In Japan we have a custom to eat very small portions of something strong-flavored with sake or beer. I went to the store in search of something like that, like cheese for instance, but all the packages were too big and somehow not quite right. At that time, I couldn’t read Finnish, so I decided on a small cube that was wrapped in a nice paper. When my wife and I tasted the cheese, I found that it sucked all the moisture off my tongue, and although it wasn’t that bad, we
didn't finish it. We took it along with us to Jyväskylä and forgot it in the refrigerator. A year later we found out what it was. We had been snacking on fresh yeast.”
All in all, Ishiyama sees Finnish and Japanese people as kindred spirits.
”We experience things in much the same way. Sometimes when I discuss things with people of other nationalities, I don’t quite understand their ideas or feelings, but Finns and Japanese are quite similar in this regard. I am not sure why, because we do not share any historical connection and our countries are quite far from each other, but that is just how it is.”
Printmaking is very popular throughout Japan, and materials and equipment are readily available. According to Ishiyama, Japanese artists are eager to perfect their skills, while in Finland techniques are not at the forefront of printmaking. Finnish printmakers are more interested in the content of their work.
”Printmaking in Finland is more raw, but at the same time stronger than what I see in Japan. That feeling could be called artistic sisu (strength). Finnish printmakers do not necessarily recognize it themselves, because it comes naturally to them, but to me it shines through.”
In Finland, it is harder to find the right materials for printmaking. Tools must be ordered from abroad.
”You need to develop new ways of doing things with the materials available. But Finnish printmakers are quite good at this. They are creative in their work process and value their own way of thinking.”
When Ishiyama was offered the position of the workshop supervisor, it was his first permanent job.
”At first I wondered if I would be able to take care of the workshop alongside my art, but of course I had to accept the offer. The job has stabilized my life, which is a good thing. However, I didn’t take it on as a full-time job, I only work six hours a day so that I have time to make my own art. I am extremely lucky to be able to work in such good conditions. In addition, as supervisor, I also get to be part of the organization’s other activities.”
”I worked in etching for about twenty years, but about ten years ago I switched to the drypoint technique, which I currently use. It is quite a primitive and simple method, but I have developed it my own way, and I am now able to use it quite sophistically. Because my work involves supervising the print workshop, maintaining equipment and organizing materials, I also have the opportunity to develop my skills in the studio and do the necessary research there.”
Working at Ratamo has also provided an extensive network of international contacts. Ishiyama has visited many printmakers and workshops and participated in international exhibitions and projects in places such as Poland, Canada, Ireland, Portugal and England. Ratamo itself has also offered opportunities for international connections.
”This year alone we have hosted three different residency artists and our gallery displays works from international artists as well. Our workshop just seems to attract them, just as it attracted me 22 years ago. That is the magic of this place.” s
If you were a print, what kind of work would you be?
A drypoint print, because with drypoint technique I can follow my interests and see where I can go.
What do you like to do in your free time?
I like to listen to jazz. For example, I like the music of Paul Desmond, Charles Mingus, Weather Report, Manuel Dunkel, Jukka Eskola and Joonatan Rautio.
What is your favorite place in Jyväskylä?
Tuomiojärvi Lake. When I first climbed Harju and saw the lake stretching out before me, in the beautiful sunlight, I knew I had found a special dream place. When I stand on the shore, the water and the ground are almost the same level, making me feel like I'm standing on water.
At Gallery Becker and Gallery Ratamo in Jyväskylä. My images can be found also on my website: jionarto.com
TIPS FOR ART LOVERS
Ratamo Printmaking and Photography Centre www.jyvaskyla.fi/en/ratamo-english on map (page 13)
Graphica Creativa 2025 – Dreaming Is Seeing 17. International Print Triennial Jyväskylä Art Museum 20.9.2025 – 11.1.2026 www.jyvaskyla.fi/en/jyvaskyla-art-museum on map (page 12)
The most delicious moments in town!
Local Bakery and Cafe
Fresh coffee, breakfast every morning, generous salads, excellent cakes! Welcome!
Mon-Fri Sat 7.30-19.30 9.00-19.30 Asemakatu 12
BAKERY CAFÉ IN THE STONE BASE OF AALTO’S MASTERPIECE – AT THE SÄYNÄTSALO TOWN HALL
CAFE ALSO IN PALOKKA S
Upper Town’s hidden gem – handmade pasta, good vibes & refreshing cocktails
Kauppakatu 11 We are B I S T R O 1 1
Would you like to return to your eternal youth?
Go on a hotel holiday! By yourself!
Did you know that the secret to eternal youth was actually invented a long time ago? And that this invention is available right now? In fact, you may have this miracle close at hand this very minute! Because I strongly suspect that a bottle of elixir of youth, or at least of rebellion, is hidden somewhere in your hotel room – in the fabulous and wonderfully crisp sheets, the plush towels, or those tiny soap bottles that the cleaner has arranged so beautifully on the counter just for you.
And why do I suspect this? Because I’ve experienced this miracle for myself.
I have two school-age children, and when they were younger, I would occasionally go to a hotel to write my books. I’m sure that anyone who has ever had small children understands why. I called these escapes of mine “sh*t mom” holidays because, in addition to working, the intention was to lie in front of the television with hamburger sauce on my face and take naps whenever I felt like it. Heck, yeah. Yet, against all expectations, I swear that I’ve never gotten so much work done!
During my hotel stays, I noticed that not only my physical form but also my brain reversed in age, straight back to the ’90s. I felt as if I had returned, if not to my wild youth (I barely left my room – it was coronavirus times), then at least to a youthful lack of responsibility: no cleaning, let alone cooking. The envelopes bearing electricity bills and dentist appointment reminders didn’t make it to my door, and I
Hannele Lampela is a children’s author from Loviisa, known for her stories about Princess Pikkiriikki (Itty Bitty Princess) and Paavali Pattinen (Benjamin Bateman). Hannele loves her work – especially if she gets to sleep in a hotel on a regular basis.
showed up for breakfast hopelessly late. And when I got there, what did I eat? A plateful of chocolate waffles!
After breakfast, I lazed in front of the television (okay, I suppose young people these days laze in front of their phones, but I was returning to my youth, not theirs). If I had wanted to, I could have sneaked out into the alluring nightlife of the city and come home through the back door without anyone ever catching me. Another thing I did regularly in my youth. Although back then, I used to climb out the window of my childhood home because it was a much quieter way to sneak out (yes, I was trouble as a teen, but more on that some other time).
You migHt tHink that all this lack of responsibility would have made it more challenging to get any work done, but you’d be surprised. As I said, I’ve never written so much in just a few days! When I knew that I could work at my own pace and that the point was also to rest, I dove into my work without even realizing it. Finnish brain researcher Mona Moisala has said that you should do something restorative every 90 minutes during the workday. And because my own brain finds returning to the self-centered, housework-resistant years of the ’90s so restorative, in just a few days I ended up creating more Finnish children’s literature than I had in a long time!
A few years ago, I heard about a retired woman who sold her apartment and belongings and moved into a hotel. She took only a few personal belongings with her – only the things she needed. At first, I thought, whoa, bold move, and I wondered what life would be like without snow shoveling and cleaning days. Quite restorative, I bet! How much work would she be able to get done, if she wanted to?
I think that taking a couple of nights away, a “sh*t mom” holiday, as I call it, should be required by law, or at least be a tax-deductible work benefit. It would be for the good of Finland! If each of us could take a break from being the project managers of our own lives from time to time to live the wonderfully messy, responsibility- and bill-free life of a teenager, I think Finns’ fatigue would decrease by about 1,100 percent, and productivity would increase at the same rate. That should do something for the GDP and national debt, don’t you think? s
Prison Island on vankilaympäristöön sijoittuva seikkailu, jossa tiimit ratkovat nokkeluutta ja ketteryyttä vaativia haasteita keräten pisteitä aikaa vastaan. Täällä ei paeta - vaan voitetaan yhdessä!
Sorastajantie 1 a 5 jyvaskyla@prisonisland.fi 050 555 8117
Hauska, futuristinen ja supersuosittu sisällä pelattava lasertaistelupeli, joka sopii ikään ja kuntoon katsomatta kaikille seikkailunhaluisille.
