Sakari Pykälä

Sakari Pykälä (October 8, 1926 – March 14, 1996) was a Finnish sculptor renowned for his wooden sculptures inspired by birds. One of Pykälä's most significant works is a large elm sculpture depicting Finland's national saint, St. Henry, which is displayed in the Minerva Church in Rome. Prior to his career as a sculptor, Pykälä spent three years working as a designer for Riihimäki Glass.

Pykälä pursued his artistic education at the Vocational School of the Academy of Arts and Crafts, where he completed a three-year program in decorative sculpture and design from 1951 to 1954. He further expanded his artistic horizons by studying at the Accademia di Belle Arti in Rome in 1959. In the early 1980s, he returned to Rome and spent a few years there, working as an artist affiliated with the American Academy.

Pykälä's works have been exhibited not only in Finland but also in Switzerland and Italy. Some of his notable pieces can be found in prestigious institutions such as the Museum of Modern Art and the Brooklyn Museum in New York. In the autumn of 2017, a retrospective exhibition showcasing Pykälä's production was presented at the Finnish Glass Museum in Riihimäki.