When the global spot price of uranium skyrocketed in the mid-00s, numerous prospecting reservations were made by international mining companies in the uranium-potential areas of Finland. This quickly gave rise to the formation of local anti-uranium citizen movements that opposed the prospecting operations.

As part of some of the localised anti-uranium campaigns, Finnish artist Pessi Manner (1969–2015) produced rock carvings in municipalities threatened by uranium mining. One carving makes use of the radiation warning symbol, while one was carved to resemble the map of Finland. The majority of the carvings are, however, sun motifs, consisting of a circle and either straight or curved lines.

In choosing the sun as the central motif for his works, Manner was making aesthetic use of the connections between the universality of ancient solar cults and the more recent discussions over solar energy as an alternative to nuclear power. Manner’s main worry was that uranium mining would have irrevocable environmental effects, and his last carving, located in Siuntio in southern Finland, was, as stated by Manner, a celebration of the surrounding landscape and overall respect for nature.

None of the claims made during the 2000s led to actual mining for uranium, whether as a result of the campaigns or because of the poor quality of the ore. Nevertheless, Manner’s carvings form an interesting case in the the context of anti-nuclear art. Perhaps these are something to keep in mind when assessing the relevance of artistic interventions in future disputes over energy production and related mining activities.

In Finland, Terrafame now has permission and plans to begin uranium recovery by summer of 2024, while recent discussions in Sweden have revolved around the possibility to begin uranium mining in support of the government’s latest plans to invest heavily in nuclear power. In both cases the extraction or recovery of uranium would be connected to the extraction of other minerals, mainly those needed in the manufacture of batteries.

Photos: Marko Mikael Marila.