Raimo Saarinen’s Floating Island is a large environmental artwork sited at sea. The sculptural work is about 25 square meters in area and it is kept afloat by a polystyrene core. The shell imitating natural rock is made of stained concrete. Living trees and other plants have been planted on the island, such as pine trees, juniper and mountain hemlock.
Set in the sea, the artificial island invites us to reflect upon the Western idea of nature. We humans have for a long time set ourselves, our culture and all the things we produce apart from nature. We glorify untouched nature, yet places where it can still be seen are very rare today. We have altered our environment so thoroughly that it is difficult to grasp all the changes that have taken place. Is it possible then to imitate nature? What should we think about a replica of nature created by an artist? Raimo Saarinen’s work examines the relationship between constructed and natural environments in a world where the imprint of humanity is found everywhere.
