In 2019 the museum first so-operated with Herttoniemenranta’s Artists in the project #Tarinalyhty (Storylantern) and students in drama at Snellman-korkeakoulu as well as with students from Laajasalon opisto. In 2021 the co-operation continued and a project was created to use the stories of Topelius. The literary legacy of professor and writer Zachris Topelius (1818-98) has lately been published online by the Swedish Society of Literature in Finland (Svenska litteratursällskapet i Finland), which has made many famous stories and tales more available. We could thus underline this new public availability, beside the fact that the stories have likely been read by children and adults at Hertonäs Manor in the 19th century. When the museum was created 100 years ago an exhibition about Topelius was on display. The professor’s furniture from his villa in Sipoo is still a part of our exhibition.
Student Diego Salvador tells Topelius's story Two Times Two is Four. Photo: EAW 2021.
Students in drama at Snellman-korkeakoulu in Helsinki got the task to choose and dramatize the tales written by Topelius. Due to the current pandemic we could not have any presentations inside the museum. Instead we arranged a day with the performances in the park and thus we had a few groups from local schools with us 27th April 2021. The 6th May we held a smallscale event for the public with only a handful of participants. The students at Snellman-korkeakoulu dramatized many famous tales such as the Rasberry Worm, Adalmina’s Pearl and Sampo of Lapland. The day was spent nicely in the spring sun among the blooming anemones in the park.
Drawing in the park. Photo: EAW 2021.
In the end of the events the artists from Tarinalyhty gave out drawingassignments to both the pupils and the visitors. This assignment will later on this year take part in creating a new product for Hertonäs Manor Museum. But, more info about this will be given later!
The project was funded by Arbetets Vänner Huvudföreningen, Svenska kulturfonden and Kansan Sivistysrahasto. Thank you for your support!