Do you know what is a ‘spruce’s ass’? Or why the mountain ash has been considered as a sacred tree? The story of the trees in the Arctic is told in Standing short, the new exhibition of the Arctic Centre at the University of Lapland. Welcome to learn wooden facts, see delightful illustrations, hug a tree and laugh at some silly jokes.

"Tikusta

 

The tree exhibition is illustrated by Annastiina
Mäkitalo who has previously illustrated children’s books and designed textile
prints. The designing of the illustrations started on February.

–
I visited Arktikum during my skiing holiday in Lapland. I wanted the illustrations
to be modern with playful and fresh touch like client wished.

While making the illustrations Mäkitalo got to know trees that grow in the
Arctic region. One question in the exhibition asks: If you were an Arctic tree, what
kind of tree would you be?

– I would probably be a juniper
because it’s very persistent and can be used as a spice, says Mäkitalo.

Wood is naturally the most important material in a tree exhibition. Tero
Poikela and Raimo Pankkonen, foremen of the science centre, have been building the
exhibition for hundreds of hours. From carpenter’s viewpoint there is one arctic
tree that is beyond others.

– Birch wood is a high-class material
and enjoyable to work with, says Poikela.

During the exhibition
there will be an educational path organized by the Arctic Centre and Pilke science
centre. It introduces the various roles that trees and wood play in people’s
everyday lives.

STANDING SHORT
The story of
trees in the Arctic
5.6.2015–10.4.2016
Arktikum Science
Centre, Pohjoisranta 4, Rovaniemi, Finland

More information:
Illustrator
Annastiina Mäkitalo, Kiinnoste, info(at)kiinnoste.fi, 040 7700 6
Science
communicator Marjo Laukkanen, Arctic Centre at the University of Lapland,
marjo.laukkanen(at)ulapland.fi,
Foreman Tero Poikela, Arctic Centre at
the University of Lapland, tero.poikela(at)ulapland.fi,

Illustration by Annastiina Mäkitalo