Conferment procession

The procession celebrates art and artists. The route of the procession runs from the Helsinki Music Centre through the centre of Helsinki.

Welcome to the conferment procession, where newly conferred masters, doctors and honorary doctors, as well as the academic staff of the university, walk through the centre of Helsinki in black and white formal outfits. Along the procession, there will also be a diverse art programme from Uniarts Helsinki students.

Route

The procession will depart from Musiikkitalo past Kiasma towards Mannerheimintie, from where it will continue through Paasikivenaukio towards Salomonkatu and Antinkatu. On Antinkatu, the procession is divided into Temppeliaukio Church and the Kulttuurikasarmi.

The best places to watch the procession are in front of Musiikkitalo and Kiasma, as well as in Paasikivi Square, as the procession comes out from the entrance on the Kansalaistori side of Musiikkitalo.

The order of the procession

When leaving Musiikkitalo, the director of the festivities will be at the head of the procession. After him come the promoters, who are the highest dignitaries of the promotion. Promoters are usually also the oldest professors in academies. Next, honorary doctors, doctors, masters, university, academies management and academic staff marched.

Programme

Media screens at the Musiikkitalo and Lasipalatsi

Video works by students of the Academy of Fine Arts.

“untitled” (600 repetitions) 
Viktor Sundman  
2024  

Hiusten aika (Hair time) 
Vita Edwards 
2021 

this reoccuring dream 
Sakari Kyyrönen 
2024  

Conversation with an angel 
Niklas Feinik  
2024 

Nimeämätön (Unnamed) 
Ian Laitinen 
2024 
Video work + statue (plywood, metal, surface treatment) 

The purpose of the big billboard is to attract the attention of a passer-by so that after going past this place, the thing being advertised on the board will be at the foremost in people’s minds. They will completely ignore e.g. the lovely canopy underneath the board!  

The premise of the work is this act of directing people’s attention. The shape of the statue draws from Lasipalatsi and the spatial phenomena of its surroundings. This way, through an intermediary, the work aims to direct the attention back to the place itself. The work explores how people focus their attention and how it is drawn in public space. 

Balcony of Kiasma

Folk music for the procession on two violins 
Pihla Perämäki and Tuike Suomalainen 

Kansalaistori

Päästä varpaisiin (From head to toes)
Outi Wright

Poles stand still inanimately. 
Poles restrict our space. 
Poles guide our passage, direct our routes. 

This artistic work comments on the role of humanity in a restricted urban space. There are always small, subtle indications of humanity and gentleness around us. Toes that are bashfully hiding peek out quietly in the urban environment that otherwise applies such a big scale. 

Cold metal meets toes. 
You can feel it. 
From head to toes. 

Paasikivi square

Veden sylistä (Out of the arms of the water)
Suvi Sievilä & vocal collective Sabrina ja Saarten tyttäret

A voice comes out of the quiet arms of the water, 
the weaving of the echo circles around, gleaming, 
a whisper touches the faraway rocks, 
the waves carry over the voice with open arms. 

The collaborative piece has been created by scenography student Suvi Sievilä and the vocal collective Sabrina ja Saarten tyttäret for Uniarts Helsinki’s conferment procession. 

Corner of Salomoninkatu and Antinkatu

POLTTOPISTE (FOCAL POINT)
Hanna Kangasluoma

Freezing, burning, flowing, dying down Hissing, whistling, crackling 

Burning, biting, embrittling 

On the surface, on the bottom, on the inside 

In the focal point 
Fragile core 
Surroundings 

Performer: Olavi Angervo 
Sounds used in the work: Yle Archives 

En-route entertainment for the procession

Pi Sandås and Sofia Kistol from the Degree Programme in Dance

The Finnish word leikari refers to a joculator or histrion – a minstrel or actor of sorts who had an almost outlaw status at the end of the 13th century, as the Law of Magnus Eriksson allowed even quite the extreme punishment of these performers if the need occurred. On the other hand, sources of that time mention that they were gifted such fancy, colourful clothes that only the nobility had the permission to wear. In Finnish contexts, the term larvator is also mentioned, meaning someone with a mask, evidently a creature with horns. In other words, this kind of performer may have also been associated with the carnival or old wintertime animal play pretends or the devil. 

Source: Pentti Paavolainen: Suomen teatterihistoria 1.2. Keskiajan teatteri- tuntematon 

Time

17.8.2024 at 14:00 – 15:00

Location

Helsinki Music Centre

Töölönlahdenkatu 16

00100 Helsinki

Location on map

See directions