Hiljainen virta Takes You on a Dive into Mynämäki’s Waters

What is happening beneath the surface of the Mynäjoki and Laajoki rivers and Mynälahti Bay? Hiljainen virta (Silent Current), a community artwork around 25 metres long, is on display at Mynämäki Library until the beginning of February 2027. Local children and young people made it with workshop leaders in workshops at Saari Residence’s communal space, Saareke, in central Mynämäki.

Hiljainen virta was installed in the main hall of Mynämäki Library in early September. The installation hangs from the main hall’s upper-floor railings. It takes viewers into the area’s waters and the world of its animals and plants.

Animals and Plants Made from Recycled Materials

The work was conceived in open workshops. The makers began by gathering background information and learning about the Mynäjoki and Laajoki rivers and Mynälahti Bay, as well as the animals and plants that live there.

The animals and plants in the work are made from recycled materials. Some pieces from Saareke’s 2025 Christmas window exhibition have also been given new life in the library.

The work was originally meant to be painted on the wall of the Asemantie underpass. For scheduling and permit reasons, it was eventually realised as an installation in the library.
Hiljainen virta is on display at Mynämäki Library (Keskuskatu 13, Mynämäki) until early February 2027. You can visit the work during the library’s opening hours.

The Makers and the Project

Saari Residence community artist Pia Bartsch, Suvi Torikka from the Meri-Vakka 4-H Association, and Jaakko Karvinen and Päivi Mykkänen from the Municipality of Mynämäki’s Youth Workshop led the workshops.

The work is part of Valonia’s three-year Creative Circular Cities project. Valonia is an expert organisation on environmental issues and sustainable development in Southwest Finland. In the project, creative sector actors and companies from six cities in the Baltic Sea region are generating ideas for, developing and testing business models based on the circular economy. They are also promoting lifestyles that support the circular economy.