Sini Majuri’s Artwork Wins Public Art Competition for Oulu’s New Prison

Earlier this year, the Finnish State Art Commission, operating under the National Gallery, in collaboration with Senate Properties, launched a nationwide open art competition for the new Oulu Courthouse and Prison. The goal was to find a site-specific and permanent artwork for the exterior wall of the courtroom, something that would create a distinct identity for the place. The competition drew 75 proposals, from which five were shortlisted. The jury unanimously awarded Sini Majuri's work Transparency the first prize.

Majuri's piece consists of 14 glass stones affixed to the building's façade, evoking a stepping path across a river. The form symbolizes progress, deliberate and steady movement toward justice. According to the artist, no single stone can carry the path alone, but together they create a passage that holds. Made from blue, hand-crafted glass, the stones reflect light and cast living shadows on the wall—intangible yet present.

The use of glass in a façade artwork is rare and significant: handmade Finnish glass is part of UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage, and here it connects a local building to a global cultural narrative. Safety has been carefully considered—the stones are placed in a way that does not allow for climbing. In this way, the artwork also functions as a structural gesture of balance and responsibility.

This marks Majuri's first public art competition win. "It's deeply meaningful that my first public artwork will be placed where justice, safety, and trust are core values," the artist says.

The winning proposal will now be developed into a completed piece, commissioned by the Finnish State Art Commission for Senate Properties' art collection, and will be installed in time for the building's inauguration.