It fell on Wäinö Aaltonen, as the country's principal sculptor, to create most of the important national monuments from the sculptures in the parliament building to the Aleksis Kivi monument on the Railway Square. In these commissions, under their moral obligation, Aaltonen cultivated his sure classical style. On the other hand he was throughout the 20's one of the few Finnish artists to carry out bold and assured experiments with Cubism both in his paintings and sculptures. The realised version of the Aleksis Kivi monument was preceded by a Cubist ceramic sketch ( Aleksis Kivi 1932).
The design for the Cubist monument entailed a rearrangement of the Railway Square, including a renewal of the National Theatre's facade, guilded statues and polished granite pedestals. In other words, in the background of these morally binding national commissions there is also experimentation and innovation. In these official works Wäinö Aaltonen was, however, able to utilize only a small part of his unconventional designs.
Many of the new tendencies in the art of the 1920's and 30's were able to truly develop only in the next decade, after the war. In that period the Surrealism of Turku and Octoberist Expressionism matured to full strength, afflicted abstractism and Constructivism, which was totally ignored in the 30's, gained momentum. Also the function of art was seen differently after the war. In fact, it was not until the 40's and 50's that Finnish art grew independent of the 19th century, of dictated artistic obligations and premeditated opposition. An era of increased freedom and openness was dawning.
Past, Present of Future? Problems of Orientation in the 20's and 30's 
Ernst Krohn : Koulutyttö Sakari Tohka : Nuoruus Eemu Myntti : Uimarannalla Yrjö Saarinen : Lepohetki Vilho Lampi : Raita Saunan katto Eero Nelimarkka : Neiti Kekäläinen The Noise and Quiet of the City Väinö Kunnas : Kaupunkikuva Harmaa tanssi Sulho Sipilä : Luistinrata Sisäkuva Ragnar Ekelund : Nôtre-Dame Olli Miettinen : La Piste II Birger Carlstedt : Paysage étrange Edwin Lydén : Ukonilma Otto Mäkilä : Kesäyö Satu Wäinö Aaltonen : Jean Sibelius Paavo Nurmen patsas Graniittipoika Kahlaaja Aleksis Kivi, luonnos
