Reijo Kela – The Silent People

The Silent People has arrived in Kuopio in honor of the city’s 250th anniversary

A quiet, yet festive gathering has assembled on the grounds of the Syvänniemi spool mill site: 250 peat-headed figures have appeared amidst the beautiful lake scenery, one for each year of the Kuopio’s anniversary.

The Silent People is an iconic environmental artwork by dancer and artist Reijo Kela. The installation has been captivating audiences and sparking curiosity in its various editions since 1988. Its original location is in Suomussalmi, but now the mysterious peat-headed figures have arrived in Syvänniemi as part of Kuopio Dance Festival. To celebrate the city’s 250th anniversary, this time the figures are dressed in festive attire.

The celebrating Silent People was installed by a group of volunteers coordinated by Kuopio Dance Festival and Syvänniemi Village Association.

The installation was opened to the public on June 6th 2025, and will remain on display until the first snowfall.

Kela is a long-established dancer, choreographer, and performance artist who has also performed at Kuopio Dance Festival many times over the years. Having spent most of his career as a freelance artist, Kela has been awarded the Pro Finlandia medal, the Finland Prize, and the State Award for Public Information, among others.

The Silent People also came to life in an unprecedented way, featuring performance pieces by Kela, musician Heikki Laitinen, and Kimmo Pohjonen as part of the artwork.

The work is funded by Saastamoinen Foundation.

Thank you to everyone involved in the building:
Elävä Säätiö, Syvänniemi kyläyhdistys, Theatre Hermanni, Seinätön taide project / KUMMA, and all the volunteers who participated!

The organizer reserves the right to make changes.