Okay, if this next one doesn’t creep you out, then something must clearly be wrong with you. Along Highway 5 outside of Suomussalmi, Finland, thousands of scarecrow-like figures stand quietly in a field. “The Silent People” created by artist Reijo Kela in 1988, are simple wooden bodies made up of bog-like material and straw hair. Their colorful clothing is changed twice a year. The artist never gave an explanation behind his artwork, preferring viewers come up with their own interpretations. Many find the faceless and motionless army of “people” quite disturbing. A popular theory is that they represent those lost during a brutal battle that took place nearby during the Winter War of 1939-40 between the Finns and Soviet Russia. However, it is interesting to note that if “The Silent People” were to be completely undressed, one would find over a thousand wooden crosses, almost resembling a graveyard or memorial.
“The Silent People” by artist Reijo Kela, Finland
