Mutta minä lähden Helsinki – Talking sewer

Art & culture

Janiina from Helsinki

About me I've been living in Helsinki since 2007, when I moved here to study musicology in the University of Helsinki. I was born in central Fin...

""Mutta minä lähden" is only a few block from my place. It's one of the funniest public pieces of art in Helsinki. It's a talking sewer."

A few blocks from my place, next to the bakery Leipomo K. E. Avikainen, there is one of the funniest and public pieces of art in Helsinki, a talking sewer. As well as one of the funniest pieces of art, it is also probably one of the most easy to miss.

Sound installation called "Mutta minä lähden - But I shall leave" by Markku "Sika" Puustinen makes the sewer announce leaving flights from an airport. The sewer has been announcing the flights since 2003.

Many people have been surprised about the talking sewer and for me it took years before I accidentally found the installation I had read about, and now I always stop for a moment to listen to the announcements when I am passing by.