Kiasma

The Kiasma (Finnish: Nykytaiteen museo Kiasma ) is a museum of contemporary art on the street Mannerheimintie in Helsinki, Finland. Kiasma is finnisierte form for the biological term " chiasma " (crossing) in allusion to the architecturally - deconstructionist concept of the building. The museum houses the art collection of the Trustees of Contemporary Art of the Finnish National Gallery. Its central goal is to make contemporary art better known and strengthen its status.

History

The building was named after a controversial architectural competition in 1992 designed and built by the American architect Steven Holl. The building fell into the public criticism because the original invitation was addressed only to architects in the Nordic and Baltic region. Five internationally renowned architects participated; from a total of 516 works submitted was 1993, the supplement to the draft " chiasm " by Steven Holl, the only Americans who participated in the competition. Not only the post-modern architecture of the building caused criticism: the location of the object has been controversial and led to violent, accompanied by signature campaigns protests. According to the opponents of the museum building is too large for the space between the equestrian statue of Carl Gustaf Emil Mannerheim and the main post office in Helsinki and would, moreover, erected in 1960 monument of the Finnish national hero mask. Despite this, 1996 was the start of construction in Mannerheimintie. The opening of the Kiasma took place in late May 1998.

Architecture

The building consists of four floors with overlapping, circular galleries. The facade is made of hand-polished aluminum and glass, the roof of pre-patinated zinc.

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