Kurikka Grand Canyon -tour

During the trip, you will hear discussions about art and science. You can also make your own field notes and participate in small creative tasks with the Kunsthalle’s art educator.

Explore the unique geology of Kurikka

The valley is estimated to be over 1.5 billion years old, making it one of the oldest valleys in the world. Buried valleys revealed in Geological Survey of Finland’s groundwater drilling indicate an extremely slow erosion rate of less than 2.5 millimetres per thousand years, ranking among the slowest erosion rates in the world. A unique characteristic of the valley is its groundwater formation. The water in the aquifer does not come from rain that falls directly above it but rather from rainfall in surrounding higher areas. Water flows down slowly into the deepest soil layers due to gravity. The fractured surfaces of the bedrock play a significant role in this process, conducting water as effectively as soil. This explains why the valley has such abundant groundwater resources. (kurikangeologia.fi)

The bus tour is guided by geologist Niko Putkinen and curator of the exhibition Erich Berger. There are two stops on the tour: the first is on the groundwater research field, and the second is at the highest peak of the old canyon.

How to participate

Registration form:https:/­/­link.webropol.com/­s/­kurikkagrandcanyon
Free for participants.
Tour includes coffee & snack on the go.
Max 15 participants, pre-registration required.
The trip is for all ages
Tour language: Finnish and English
During the field visit, you do need to be able to walk a bit in the countryside and on the forest road approximately 500 m twice.The bus tour will happen even if it’s raining, so dress for the weather, please.
If you have reserved a place but can not attend, please contact right away pii.anttila@seinajoki.fi so someone else can take your spot.

The painting Kurikka Buried Valley

When planning The Contamination of Time exhibition to Kunsthalle, curator Erich Berger invited artist Petri Ala-Maunus to take a look at the new findings of the so-called Kurikka Buried Valley. Approximately 1.5 to 1.8 billion years ago, the bedrock in the Kurikka region experienced fractures as the Svecofennian mountain range formed. This process eventually led to the formation of one of the world’s oldest valleys in Kurikka. Petri Ala-Maunus became interested and painted a large-scale oil painting Kurikka Buried Valley for The Contamination of Time exhibition. The painting is an attempt to make visible how the oldest valley on Earth might looked like 1,5 billion years ago.

“There are no pictures of what Kurikka Buried Valley looked like, but we do know a few things. There were no people or other animals, no dinosaurs, no trees, plants, moss, or soil. There was granite, sandstone and water. The surrounding mountains were three kilometres high, of which the ravages of time had already worn away a few kilometres. The temperature was about 30–40 degrees, and at that time, Kurikka’s location was the same as the Canary Islands today. A lot of water has flown down the Kyrönjoki River since then.” – Petri Ala-Maunus

The Geological Survey of Finland is mapping and studying the unique deep-water reserves in the Kurikka area in collaboration with the South Ostrobothnia Centre for Economic Development. For the geological background study of the Kurikka Valley, Petri Ala-Maunus was consulted by Niko Putkinen and Satu Hietala, senior scientists at the Geological Survey of Finland (GTK).

Program
11:15 a.m. “The Contamination of Time” exhibition, 30 mins

Seinäjoen taidehalli, Kalevan Navetta, Nyykoolinkatu 25, Seinäjoki

Exhibition visit with a brief introduction by Erich Berger

12:00 p.m Bus Departure 1: Kalevan Navetta, Seinäjoki

Welcome words and review of the day’s program.
Distribution of field notebooks (a field notebook contains tips on how to approach the field trip and take notes in various ways)
Discussion about “The Contamination of Time” exhibition, its idea, and the deep time research behind it / Erich Berger

12:30 p.m Bus Departure 2: Kurikka Market Square

Additional pick-up for participants from Kurikka. Asematie 8 61300 Kurikka

Geologist Niko Putkinen discusses the groundwater research and the discovery of the “Kurikka Grand Canyon”.

12:45 First stop: The Groundwater: Ojaniementie, Kakkuri

Stages, current status, and future prospects of the Kurikka deep groundwater project by Niko Putkinen.
Coffee and snacks, discussions
Smell, taste and see the deep groundwater

1:30 p.m. The Purest Water: Piirrontie

The World’s Purest Water and its Story by Niko Putkinen

nainen metsäpolulla
1:45 p.m. Second stop: The Highest Peak: Near Samuli Paulaharju’s shelter, Tröömimaantie

(stop approx. 30 min)

Discussion on Petri Ala-Maunus’s painting: How can we imagine deep time through art? by Erich Berger

Greetings from the highest peak! Make your own landscape postcard.

2:30 p.m. Return to Kurikka Market Square

Dropping off participants in Kurikka
Journey back to Seinäjoki
Feedback discussion and filling the field note booklets.

3:00 p.m. Return to Seinäjoki

Kalevan Navetta, Nyykoolinkatu 25

Conclusion of the day.

The tour guides

Niko Putkinen

Niko Putkinen is a Senior Scientist at the Geological Survey of Finland. After graduating from the University of Oulu, he spent a postdoc year in the Planet Earth Lab at UTSC on ice streaming over soft and hard beds across the Laurentide ice sheet. His current interests are in the modern and past climate variations control glacier operation. Understanding of past glacial environments and processes has a direct linkage to the regional-scale 3D mapping and aquifer systems characterisation as well as the vast field of urban geology in glaciated regions. Other interests focus to the methodological development of mapping utilising new technology, geo-data management and models that improve the interoperability of remote sensing, geophysical and geological models. Currently Niko is a Glacial Geology Docent in University of Helsinki and works intensively as a chief scientist and a project leader in numerous projects including the Scandinavian largest groundwater exploration project.

Erich Berger

Erich Berger is an artist, curator, and researcher based in Helsinki. He currently works at the University of Oulu in Finland, where he conducts interdisciplinary research into how artists approach temporalities beyond human-centred time, combining cultural anthropology, geology and art. Throughout his artistic practice, he has explored the materiality of information, and information and technology as artistic material. His current artistic focus lies on issues of deep time and hybrid ecology, which led him to work with geological processes, radiogenic phenomena, and their socio-political implications in the here and now. In his fieldwork-based practice, he carries out extensive work on natural radioactivity, potential uranium mining sites, and nuclear infrastructure in Finland and abroad. As curator, he develops opportunities that create critical transdisciplinary encounters and work situations between professionals from art, natural science, technology and the humanities, recognising science and technology as fundamental transformative powers of our life world. Berger has worked as chief curator for Laboral Centro de Arte in Gijon, Spain and as a director for The Bioart Society in Helsinki, Finland. His art is exhibited widely in museums, galleries, and major media-art events in Europe and worldwide.

The tour is funded by Finnish Cultural Foundation, South Osthrobothnia