Conferment art and poems are an essential part of the conferment traditions. Conferment poems have been presented since the first conferment in 1643. At that time one of the assignments of the professor of poetics was to write poems to the ceremonies in the academia. Speeches were often poems, too. For 250 years, the poems have been ordered from artists respected by the promovendi and it is the purpose of the poems are to greet the freshly graduated promovendi. The conferment poems, both in Finnish and in Swedish, are presented at the Conferment Dinner at the Finlandia Hall on 26th of May 2017. For centuries, the promovendi have also ordered various artworks, such as cantatas, ceremonial marches, theatre acts and graphical works. This year the works represent very modern and urban style.
The Finnish poem at the Conferment Ceremony of the Faculty of Philosophy in 2017 will be written and presented by author, poet and scholar Matti Kangaskoski (b. 1983). He published his first poem collection Tältä sinusta nyt tuntuu in 2012 and the book was nominated for the Literature Award of Helsingin Sanomat. Kangaskoski’s first novel, Sydänmarssi, was relesed in 2014 and the novel gained a nomination for the Prose Award of the Mahdollisuuden Kirjallisuuden Seura. He has also written poems, critiques and essays to different magazines. In February 2017 Matti Kangaskoski published his second poem collection Pääkalloneuvottelut and later this year he will defend the doctoral dissertation of literature in the University of Helsinki and Justus-Liebig-Universität Giessen.
The conferment poem in Swedish has historical roots in the year 1757 Conferment Ceremony in which it was first presented to the promovendi. The poem has been composed by a pseudonym C. B. and it is titled Liksåsom molnen glants af Solens strålar brar. In the 2017 Conferment Ceremony, the poem will be presented by a soulful Finnish singer–songwriter and lyricist Emma Salokoski (b. 1976). Salokoski has released albums both solo and in ensembles, notably in Quintessence and Emma Salokoski Ensemble. Her most recent solo album, Kiellettyjä asioita, was released in 2015.
Conferment art for this year’s Ceremony has been commissioned from an awarded, Turku-based cartoon artist and illustrator, Mika Lietzén (b. 1974). Lietzén’s cartoon art can be seen printed on an ecological tote bag and on a poster. He is known especially for his skillful ligne claire technique and cartoon novellas. Lietzén has been awarded first price in Kemi Nordic Cartoon Competition in 2000 and in Egmont Kustannus’ Sarjis 2004 Competition.
Lietzén’s cartoon art can be seen on his website.