Hannele Kylänpää - Little Big Dog

Hannele Kylänpää (b. 1948) is a sculptor best known for her child and animal sculptures. She interprets the human essence through forms that are free and unembellished, yet simultaneously enchanting. Movement often enlivens her human figures, even when they are in a still pose. Her own pets have served as models for her animal figures. Kylänpää’s handling of materials is highly expressive and supports the themes of her work.

Domestic subjects dominate Kylänpää’s sculptures, though the subject itself is not the most important aspect of her art, as anything can be turned into a sculpture. More significant is creating a fleeting sense of presence between the work and the viewer. Kylänpää has created several public sculptures, the first of which is the approximately seven-meter-tall Äiti-Lappi or Mother Lapland (1989) located in the courtyard of the Lapland Provincial Government in Rovaniemi.