Jean Sebelius was a Finnish composer who lived from the mid-nineteenth century till the mid-twentieth century. During his life he crafted music that played an important role in framing Finland's national identity. He is well known for his Seven Symphonies, and his life's work resulted in his image being placed on the Finnish 100 mark bill. A monument was built in his memory in Sebelius Park in Helsinki. It was unveiled on September 7, 1967 and immediately caused a stir because of its abstractness, which the sculptor, Eila Hiltunen, said was meant to reflect his music.
Baron Carl Emil Mannerheim was the sixth President of Finland and in 2004 was selected as the greatest all time Finnish person in the Great Finns contest. He led the Finnish Defense Forces was given military decorations from both sides of the conflict in World Wars I and II and by Sweden, a neutral country. Flag Day now occurs on his birthday, June 4. A monument in his memory now stands on Mannerheimintie, a main road in Helsinki. It depicts the Baron on a horse.
One statue in Finland that often raises some controversy is the Havis Amanda monument. She is a mermaid, standing on seaweed, as she comes out of the water with fish and sea lions around by her feet. The backlash when the monument was first built in 1906, and then erected at the Market Square in Kaartinkaupunki, Finland in 1908, is that she is nude. Women's rights groups, and others, said the statue belittled and objectified women. The sea lions in the sculpture have their tongues hanging out, and many equated them to gawking males. In reality, the statue is meant to symbolize the rebirth of Helsinki. The sculptor, Ville Vallgren named the statue Merenneito, or The Mermaid, in English. Other nicknames were quickly given to it though, and Havis Amanda has stuck. Much of the controversy may have stemmed from a distrust of an outsider like Vallgren, by many of Finland's elites. A Finnish painter, Albert Edelfelt, and friend to Vallgren, vouched for the sculptor, and he and his work managed to gain more respect as time went on. As the sculpture became more accepted, people began to see it as part of the soul and spirit of the city. Today it is consistently voted as one of the most important and beautiful pieces of artwork in Finland. Havis Amanda serves as the rallying point for yearly celebrations.
