Fredrika Runeberg and the Dot

Permanent sculptural installation in the wall of the Ars Nova Museum, Turku, 2007

The starting point of the installation, commissioned by the Matti Koivurinta foundation, was to create a memorial for the first female journalist in Finland, Fredrika Runeberg. Andersson used the fact that Runeberg lived exactly on the place where the work is situated during her stay in Turku 1809 – 1827. The foundation of the house she lived in, can be seen inside the museum underneath the wall where the work is inserted. Andersson created an imaginary window where the original window could have situated and made a silhouette of Runeberg, copied from an original silhouette cut from the 19 th century, supposedly made of Runeberg.

The dot is open for many interpretations; It points to Runeberg’s career as a journalist, it marks a point where something ends and something starts. The lit points pulsate like stars in the sky following the rhythm of breathing and connects the work with the contemporary life in Turku. The work enlightens the many darks nights of the Finnish winter. In the central ornament the dot evolves into leaves. For Runeberg the gardening was a central activity during stressy family times with the famous poet Johan Ludvig Runeberg, her husband.