Riikka Latva-Somppi, Nightingale, 2009. Painted and Gilded Glass, Bronze. W 164 feet.
If you happen to be sitting on a bench in Helsinki, Finland, and see a small bird perched beside you, do not be surprised if it doesn’t take notice. You may just be sitting next to a work of art.
The small, bronze nightingale and bench is only part of the piece entitled Satakieli Näktergalen (Nightingale) by visual and glass artist Riikka Latva-Somppi. Behind and above the bench, 164 feet of printed and gilded glass line the outside of a pedestrian walkway. In shades of blue and black, the silhouettes depict nightingales flying among thinning trees, whose branches are just beginning to bud. Continue reading
