Art exhibition in Naantali questions whose voices are heard

A demolition art exhibition in Naantali’s Maarianranta district, housed in a former elderly care complex, has drawn over 3,000 visitors since opening in early June, Yle reports.

The building, once home to 50 elderly residents, is set for demolition to make way for a spa hotel planned by a German company. A zoning change approved in December 2025 cleared the way for the project.

Local artist Mitro Viitala and colleagues formed the Hävityskollektiivi collective to transform the condemned building into the Uusi Käänne (New Turn) exhibition. The 20 participating artists, selected through an open call, created works primarily from recycled materials and remnants left by former residents.

One installation, by former Naantali city architect Oscu Uurasmaa and his wife Liisa Peura, examines the dialogue—or lack of it—between residents, municipal authorities, and developers in urban planning. Their piece, Kuuluuko! (Is Anyone Listening?), features carved ears and mouths symbolizing communication, surrounded by planning documents.

Uurasmaa, who served as city architect until 2022, described the work as a reflection on whether public engagement in planning is genuine or merely performative.

The exhibition remains open through the end of August.