Airstrip for Pollinators and Hexa-Seats
Airstrip for Pollinators is a flower bed, with a selection of plants, that attract pollinators with their nectar and pollen, and bloom one after another, from April to the end of September. Selected flowers, mostly endemic to Finland, offer a rich buffet in desert like green areas of grass that have otherwise nothing to offer for pollinators. The installation illustrates a possible scenario for the future, where pollinators are offered better living opportunities in the cities, replacing lawn areas with blooming flowers.
In 2019, there are no honeybees hosted at the site. Instead, the abundance of flowers attracts a variety of different pollinators. In the grassy area around the airstrip, visitors can use the Hexa-Seats to rest and enjoy the lush natural environment in the centre of Helsinki.
In 2019, the installation was generously sponsored by The Weekend Bee.
The Airstrip for Pollinators with Hexa-Seats was developed from the Hexa-Hive Village with Airstrip for Bees – an experimental urban apiary that was first exhibited in 2014, as part of the art exhibition Semi-Wild Gardens at Kouvola city art museum. In 2016, the installation was placed in Tarja Halonen Park, a public area in the centre of Helsinki.
In 2018, the name of the work was converted to Airstrip for Pollinators, as we noticed that all kinds of flying and pollinating insects, not just bees, were attracted to its offerings.
- Setup of the Airstrip for Bees in Tarja Halonen park, in May 2016. Photo: Ulla Taipale
Airstrip for Pollinators and Hexa-Seats is an outdoor installation with sitting hives for people and a flower bed for pollinating insects. Concept: Christina Stadlbauer and Ulla Taipale. Exhibited in different variants since 2014, and since 2016 at Tarja Halonen park in Helsinki. The airstrip was designed by Ulla Taipale.
The Airstrip for Pollinators 2019 was supported by Weekend Bee.
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