Portrait of Tampere City Council Chair Kalervo Kummola unveiled at City Hall
A portrait of Kalervo Kummola, the chair of the Tampere City Council, was unveiled at Tampere City Hall on Monday. The painting, created by artist and professor Timo Vuorikoski, depicts Kummola with Tampere Arena and the city’s landmark Näsinneula in the background.
Kummola, who served as mayor of Tampere from 2023 to 2025 and has been the city council chair since 2025, requested that the arena be included in the portrait. Yle reports that he played a significant role in the project, particularly in its early stages, describing it as the result of decades of effort. Ilta-Sanomat (IS) adds that Kummola was involved in the arena’s planning as early as the completion of Helsinki’s Hartwall Arena (now Veikkaus Arena) in 1997, with the state joining the project in 2016.
The unveiling ceremony was hosted by Tampere’s current mayor, Ilmari Nurminen, who remarked on Kummola’s gentle expression in the portrait. Nurminen also noted the significance of Kummola’s red tie, which he interpreted as a reference to the aseveli spirit—the post-war cooperation between the Social Democrats and the National Coalition Party in developing Tampere. IS reports that Kummola confirmed this interpretation, stating that the aseveli axis had been crucial in advancing the city. The tie featured small Olympic ring patterns.
Vuorikoski, who has painted portraits of all Tampere’s mayors, including Kummola’s predecessors Timo P. Nieminen, Anna-Kaisa Ikonen, and Lauri Lyly, used artificial intelligence as a tool to explore public perceptions of Kummola. Yle writes that the AI-generated images highlighted two sides of Kummola: a composed, authoritative leader with a stern gaze and a warmer, "teddy bear-like" demeanor. Vuorikoski incorporated these elements into the final portrait.
Kummola, who turned 80 last November, remains active in municipal politics despite the National Coalition Party’s electoral defeat in last year’s municipal elections, which ended his tenure as mayor. Yle notes that he joked about the portrait being sufficient for his current role as city council chair, though he acknowledged the tradition of honoring mayors and council chairs with portraits as a meaningful practice. All such portraits are displayed on the second floor of Tampere City Hall.
In his remarks, Kummola praised the artwork, stating, "It’s better than the original." A plaque on the painting’s frame lists some of his key roles in the city.