The fascinating story of the realm of Serlachius

Written by päivi viherkOski develOpMent directOr / serlachius MuseuMs

From industrial centre to haven of art The fascinating story of the realm of Serlachius

An hour’s drive northeast of Tampere lies the small art town of Mänttä-Vilppula. Its industrial centre, Mänttä, has been breathing to the beat of paper machines since the 1860s - paper machines set up by Gustaf Adolf Serlachius. Today, the name Serlachius says more about art than industry.

The story of Mänttä and Serlachius is an exciting one. In 1868, Gustaf Adolf Serlachius, a Tampere pharmacist, sailed with a few carpenters to Mänttä and built a ground wood mill beside the rapids there. The establishment of the mill launched a chain of events that led to the creation of one of the largest private art collections in the Nordic countries – and one of the most impressive art museums in Finland. In just over 150 years, Mänttä has seen four generations of paper mill barons, their expanding art collection and a fine arts foundation, which has also taken bold initiatives in the Finnish museum field.

VISITORS FROM AFAR MARVELED AT THE EFFICIENCY OF THE PRODUCTION FACILITIES AND THE WORKERS' WELL-ORGANISED HOUSING. The paper mill baron era is in the past, but many traces of it remain visible in Mänttä: fascinating buildings and a mill that exports paper to the world. Since 1908, toilet tissue has been made along the rapids in the centre of Mänttä. Today, the tissue production of Metsä Tissue’s Mänttä mill, converted into toilet paper rolls, amounts to three million rolls a day.

Mänttä is full of contrasts. On the one hand, there are cherished historic milieus, on the other, deserted houses on rundown streets. The migration flow from Mänttä-Vilppula (population 9,500) is towards larger population centres. The town endures, however, and offers its residents, in addition to the necessities of life, excellent recreational options such as ice hockey, horseback-riding and music lessons, not to mention visual arts.

Only a few small towns are as accustomed to the art world’s latest phenomena as Mänttä. A performance seen at the town’s only traffic light intersection may raise a few eyebrows, but it is accepted curiously or calmly. Community projects by artists visiting the Serlachius Residency bring town residents of all ages into contact with the world of international art.

The development of Mänttä into an art town began with the establishment of the Gösta Serlachius Fine Arts Foundation. Gösta Serlachius’ manor house and its art collection were opened to the public in 1945. The visual arts scene was strengthened when Finland’s largest summer exhibition of contemporary art, the Mänttä Art Festival, began in 1991. Nationally significant art events are not limited to the visual arts: the Mänttä Music Festival, an annual piano music event, was held for the first time in 1999.

Golden memories from the era of the paper mill barons

The fearless visions of G.A. Serlachius, the first of Mänttä’s paper mill barons, laid the foundation for a successful forest industry company. It was thanks to him that Finland got its first icebreaker in 1899. Gustaf Adolf was also a patron of the arts who financially supported, for example, Akseli Gallen-Kallela, the master of the Finnish Golden Age, during his travels to Paris and other artistic endeavours.

As Gustaf Adolf did not accept his own son as his successor, the mantle was inherited by his nephew Gösta Serlachius in 1901. He was a dedicated businessman who was also passionate about art and founded the Gösta Serlachius Fine Arts Foundation in 1933. Through him, Mänttä obtained a church filled with art, which is well worth a visit.

Gösta’s son, R. Erik Serlachius, took over the management of the forest business after his father’s death in 1942. During his time, Mänttä was included in the official travel program of the state guests and was showcased as a thriving factory community; the visitors from far afield marveled at the efficiency of the production facilities and the well-organised housing of the workers. In the early 1960s, Serlachius launched the iconic Serla toilet paper, which is still popular among Finns.

The era of the barons of the Mänttä paper mill ended during the time of R.Erik's son Gustaf Serlachius, when the company merged with Metsäliitto Industry Ltd in 1987. Gustaf expanded the museum activities and founded a museum of industrial history in Serlachius’ former headquarters building. Today’s Art Town for tourists

A visit to the heart of this small Finnish town is like a trip to another reality.

Mänttä’s main all-year-round attractions are the Serlachius Museums. In the town centre, at the company’s former head office building, now called Gustaf, visitors can learn about the delusions of grandeur of the first paper mill baron G.A. Serlachius in the permanent exhibition Paper Devil. This impressive, architecturally distinguished building also hosts changing exhibitions of art and cultural history.

At the art exhibition.

THE MUSEUM SHOWCASES CONTEMPORARY ART BY FINNISH AND INTERNATIONAL ARTISTS, FAMOUS MASTERS OF THE GOLDEN AGE OF FINNISH ART AND WORKS BY OLD EUROPEAN MASTERS.

The second Serlachius Museum, Art Museum Gösta, is located 2.5 kilometres from downtown. Last year, it was the second most visited museum in Finland. Art exhibitions are spread over Gösta Serlachius’ former manor home and its newly completed timber-framed extension, which has been awarded for its modern wooden architecture. The museum showcases contemporary art by Finnish and international artists, famous masters of the Golden Age of Finnish Art and works by old European masters. The collection also includes pieces by modern and contemporary international masters, such as Claude Monet’s Haystack in the Evening Sun and Anselm Kiefer’s Väinämöinen Ilmarinen.

At the heart of the Serlachius Art Museum is a landscape restaurant, whose restaurateur, chef Henry Tikkanen, has been awarded the Finnish Chef of the Year title. Visitors will also have the opportunity to enjoy Henry’s culinary creations in the Art Sauna, which will open in summer 2022. It combines architecture, art and design in a beautiful lakeside setting next to the museum. The architects Héctor Mendoza, Mara Partida and Boris Bezan, who also designed the museum extension, have now created a fresh take on Finnish sauna culture. Visitors can also enjoy the lake view by taking a walk through the sculpture park to a neighbouring island.

When it comes to culinary experiences, the restaurant Viinitupa Vuorenmaja in the Mäntänvuori forest conservation area is well worth visiting. The lodge was part of Gösta Serlachius’ social programme for his workers: it was built as a base for ski treks. Besides juice, coffee and other hot drinks, it also serves continental snacks and a selection of wines.

A summer visit to Mänttä should definitely coincide with the annual Mänttä Art Festival. This year, 25 artists or artist groups will be featured in Pekilo, the Serlachius company’s former animal feed factory, which has been renovated into a large exhibition space. Also, not to be missed are the Realm of Fine Arts, an exhibition presenting works by newly graduated visual artists, the summer exhibition of the Serlachius Residence and Pirjetta Brander’s Sculpture Yard.

Visitors staying overnight can enjoy the atmosphere of the age of the paper barons at the hotel restaurant Mänttä Club, which was built after the Civil War in 1920 and operated as a club for the forest company’s bosses. Art Hotel Honkahovi, a beautiful functionalist building, was once the official residence of R. Erik Serlachius. For more unique local accommodation and other offerings, check on the Art Town website visittaidekaupunki.fi.

Mänttä is conveniently reached by the Serlachius bus, which carries culturally hungry visitors from Tampere bus and train station directly to the museums every day during the summer. In Mänttä, it is possible to rent a Jopo bicycle from the museums and cycle from one cultural destination to another through the beautiful lakeside nature. s

SERLACHIUS MUSEUMS

Opening Hours Summertime 1 Jun–31 Aug DAILY 10 am–6 pm, also at Midsummer. Wintertime 1 Sep–31 May Tuesday–Sunday 11 am–6 pm. Prices Adults 10 €, Pensioners & Students 7 €, under 18s free admission. We accept Finnish Museum card. Serlachius shuttle bus The shuttle bus runs from Tampere bus station and railway station to Mänttä (straight to the museums) on the days that the museums are open: 1 Jun–31 Aug daily, 1 Sep–31 May from Tuesday to Sunday. Timetables: serlachius.fi

www.serlachius.fi/en/

SEE ON MAP (PAGE 23).