Magical Mystery Tour

There was a lot going on at the Saari Residence in late September and early October in 2014. Graduates from the National College of Art and Design in Dublin arrived to work for a couple of weeks on a community art project envisioned by Pia Bartsch, the Saari Residence’s community artist. The Irish artists and students from the Arts Academy of the Turku University of Applied Sciences led the work of different groups in different parts of Mynämäki. The workshops culminated in the Magical Mystery Tour // Turas Draíocht  community art event on Saturday 4 October 2014. During the day, a bus tour took passengers to six sites to see works of art created by local people. The works of art were created by the Mynämäen Mieslaulajat male-voice choir, bird watchers from the Mietoinen region, families with children from the Laajoki region, and active members of the Mietoisten Maamiesseura club and the Mynämäen Asemaseudun kylät ry association.

The Magical Mystery Tour // Turas Draíocht event was based upon the Beatles’ film, the Magical Mystery Tour. Pia describes the tour below:

“The inspiration for the wacky bus tour was the Beatles’ Magical Mystery Tour film, which I love. The tour bus set off early one foggy morning from the parking place of former local business Juko, and visited various parts of Mynämäki taking a full load of passengers from one wonderful artistic attraction to another. During the day, we visited six sites with our guides Ginger Joe and Pia Ginger, and admired the works produced by 19 magical artists and their trusty local working groups.

After the Magical Mystery Tour, there was a party held at the old Juko industrial hall, and the children in the audience got to bash a large Finnish-Mexican hybrid piñata.

I would like give special thanks to Eila Haapsaari, the local organiser who allowed us to hold the workshops, and the welcoming and getting to know each other parties, at her karaoke place.

We, tiredly but happily, wholeheartedly agree with one participant’s statement: this Magical Mystery Tour was better than the Beatles’ Magical Mystery Tour.

Thank you all!”