Heikki Konttinen

Heikki Konttinen studied at the Central School of Art and Design from 1937-41 and subsequently at the Finnish Academy of Art until 1945. His works were first shown at an exhibition in Helsinki in 1939. In the early 1950s he taught at the Academy of Art for some time. From 1955 he lived in the Tapiola district of Espoo. In 1964 he was awarded the Pro Finlandia Medal.

Konttinen created numerous small-format, often black patinated bronze sculptures, which were often humorous. He also created studies of women, portraits of children and portrait busts, and after World War II, war memorials. In addition Konttinen worked as a medalist. Among his most famous works are the bronze sculpture Brother in Kuopio, the bust of politician Eino Sakari Yrjö-Koskinen (1830-1903) in Tampere, and the statue of long-distance runner Hannes Kolehmainen in Kuopio.

Konttinen participated in the 1952 Olympic Art Exhibition with the plaster design of the latter. The bronze sculpture of the running legend was erected in the Väinölänniemi Park of his hometown after Konttinen had won a competition with his design. Actually, a statue commemorating Kolehmainen was envisaged to be erected already at the end of the 1920s. However, the plan could only be realized in 1952 following a fundraising campaign. Kolehmainen himself had argued in favor of the location.