Espoo Museum of Modern Art
Light in the darkest time of the year: Pasi Rauhala’s immersive installation illuminates Tapiola’s Venturo House throughout winter
EMMA has commissioned a new work from visual artist Pasi Rauhala for the Venturo House, located in Tapionpuisto in Espoo’s Tapiola district. The installation, titled Kudos and featuring immersive projections, brings light and warmth during the darkest months of the year. Created in collaboration with City Events Espoo, which manages the Venturo Studio, the piece was unveiled on Saturday, 16 November, as part of Tapiola’s holiday season opening festivities. The installation will be on display in the Venturo House until the end of February 2025.
Inside Venturo, a soft glow shimmers. Artist Pasi Rauhala’s (b. 1978) light-based artwork, Kudos, breathes new life into the modular 1970s house. Exploring light and movement, the work honours architect Matti Suuronen (1933–2013), designer of Venturo, by underlining his design philosophy and approach to form. True to Rauhala’s style, the installation merges spatial and experiential elements, along with the artist’s interest in public space and architecture. The sleek, futuristic lines of Venturo re-emerge inside the house as beams of moving light, creating an interplay between the interior and exterior.
“The installation plays with light, shadow, and movement, bringing Venturo’s symmetrical and harmonious design language to life with a nod to Suuronen’s architecture,” describes Pasi Rauhala. “The title Kudos has multiple meanings. In English, it is a Greek-derived loanword meaning ‘praise’. In Finnish, it also refers to a weave – both a woven fabric and the structure of living beings.”
Kudos celebrates the modernist heritage of this prefabricated house all winter, around the clock. Venturo, or CF-45, was completed in 1971 as part of Suuronen’s futuristic Casa Finlandia series, which also includes the iconic pod-like house Futuro (1968), reminiscent of a flying saucer – one of which is located on the grounds of the WeeGee exhibition centre. Since 2023, Venturo Studio, located in Tapionpuisto near the Ainoa shopping centre, has served as an urban culture initiative operated by City Events Espoo. Created in collaboration with EMMA and the City of Espoo, Rauhala’s installation aims to bring joy and light to residents and passers-by through public art. The work underscores the significance of art, design, and architecture within the residential and urban landscape of Espoo’s Tapiola district.
Watch Pasi Rauhala's video interview
Commissioned for Venturo by EMMA – Espoo Museum of Modern Art, Kudos has been acquired as part of the museum’s collection. As the content expert for public art projects in Espoo, EMMA collaborates closely with the City of Espoo to enrich urban culture, fostering meaningful encounters, engaging art, and community-centred cultural experiences. Pasi Rauhala’s Kudos (2024) will also be part of the Lux Helsinki light art festival in January.
