Artworks by Dasha Pears Available for Sale
All the pieces below are limited edition artworks on museum-quality Hahnemühle Bamboo FineArt Paper (290 gsm, 90% bamboo fibers, 10% cotton), signed and numbered on the front and on the back, embossed with an authenticity stamp. Each piece comes with a signed and numbered certificate of authenticity.
New Experience
When you try something new your experience seems to last longer, even though it went by in a blink of an eye in reality. This project is about being present for this new experience and actually living it, taking it in, sucking it in no matter what. Even if it’s uncomfortable, awkward, strange, unsettling and even painful.
Wait and see how you’ll be so accustomed and bored with this experience that once seemed so unusual and will run or be pushed to another new thing in no time at all. So relax and enjoy. No matter what. Hatching from an egg is incredibly hard for a newborn chick, yet it's crucial for its further survival and strength.
Helsinki, Finland
2022
Title:
I spy
Story & Message:
It's fun to turn into an observer of yourself every once in a while. Not simply act, but see your actions and reactions in real-time and evaluate them as though you see them from a distance.
Getting conscious. Getting wise.
Title:
Not Afraid To Fall Down
Story & Message:
Looking down made her think of all she went through while climbing up. She smiled, paused for a second and continued on her way, thinking how fun it would be to fly all the way from the top.
Title:
Something New
Story & Message:
This was her summer: bright, radiant, and windy. Something changed within her. She was not the same anymore. There was no way back.
Title:
View From The Window
Story & Message:
What do you see from the window today? Today it's me, tomorrow it's you. Each day brings something new.
Title:
I Love Randomness
Story & Message:
Life is random. But we so desperately want to make it seem all planned out for us and then try to live according to the imagined plan.
Title:
Blending With The Crowd
Story & Message:
Let's get unnoticed and be one with all today. Just for a change. Can we?
Title:
Everyone Loves Mysttery
Story & Message:
Who wants to know the truth behind the mystery? You will forget it the minute you find it out. It's the secret, the gamble, the possibility of a positive surprise that keeps you hooked, not letting go, keeps you glued to watching the play unveiling in front of you.
Blues
Inspired by the bright northern sun which never leaves the skies from April to September. White nordic days and nights are magical. They bring peace, new ideas, but most importantly new hopes for the future as bright as it can be.
Helsinki, Finland
2022
Title:
Crossroads
Story & Message:
Coming soon
Title:
Guidance
Story & Message:
Coming soon
Title:
Life
Story & Message:
Coming soon
Title:
Things That Fly
Story & Message:
Coming soon
Title:
Far From The Mainland
Story & Message:
Coming soon
Title:
To The Lighthouse
Story & Message:
Coming soon
Title:
My Way To Fly
Story & Message:
Coming soon
Title:
Tripple Effect
Story & Message:
Coming soon
Dance
“We thought of life by analogy with a journey, a pilgrimage, which had a serious purpose at the end, and the thing was to get to that end, success or whatever it is, maybe heaven after you’re dead. But we missed the point the whole way along. It was a musical thing and you were supposed to sing or to dance while the music was being played.” - Alan Watts
With dance, dancing itself is the goal, there's no final point or destination. This is how life is. Otherwise, everyone would want to arrive at our final life destination as soon as possible. We can definitely arrive somewhere while dancing, as we're constantly moving with the dance, but arriving is not the point. It's the process of the dance itself that we enjoy while doing it.
Vienna, Austria
2021
Title:
Life's a Dance
Story & Message:
Just dance. Keep dancing.
Vienna, Austria
2021
Title:
The Right Direction
Story & Message:
Brave and bold, ready to walk into the new world of brightness and glory. The feeling is so powerful that you have no fear, no doubts. Catch this state and hold it near, so that you can pull it off whenever there's a gap in your life that you desperately want to overcome.
Vienna, Austria
2021
Title:
Into the Flow
Story & Message:
Whatever scares you, go do it. Then you won't be scared anymore.
Vienna, Austria
2021
Title:
The Fountain
Story & Message:
Bright, bursting with joy, power, and youth, the neverending abundance of whatever you might want in life. Here, within.
Vienna, Austria
2021
Secret Garden
She felt strangely more tranquil than ever when she knew she was no longer in the house. The sunshine made the whole place look different. The high, deep, blue sky arched over her, and she kept lifting her face and looking up into it, trying to imagine what it would be like to lie down on one of the little snow-white clouds and float about. It was her very own secret and sacred place. Only for her, no one else.
Barcelona, Spain
2022
Title:
Highlights and Shadows
Story & Message:
Sun rays are like a hot shower. They wash everything away. All the dirt, all the noise, all that is no longer needed. Sun bathing is purifying. It recharges your batteries and gives you new strength to keep on going.
Title:
Future Goals
Story & Message:
The future is bigger and brighter than ever, but only if you allow it be.
Title:
The Mirror Effect
Story & Message:
The labyrinth of symmetry will try to fool you, but you know what you're looking for. You won't lose your path.
Title:
I'll Be Back
Story & Message:
Look back to make your way forward easier. Make sure to learn from your mistakes and not repeat them.
Title:
The View Is Better From The Top
Story & Message:
Put on your wings and fly high, so that you can see the whole picture. Zoom out, zoom in. Repeat.
Title:
Chances of Rain
Story & Message:
Don't be fooled by randomness. Anything can happen at any given moment. There are no guarantees. Accept it and be ready.
Title:
Clouds In The Sky
Story & Message:
Coming soon
Title:
Clouds Float By
Story & Message:
Self-discovery is a life-long journey. You'll find many unexpected turns on your path. Another surprise is waiting for round the corner.
Title:
Morning Heat
Story & Message:
Cool down in the calm waters. Find your stillness. It's the key to finding your way out and opening all the doors.
Title:
Doors Will Open
Story & Message:
You only have to wait for a little while. It will open and let you in. Patience is a virtue.
Objects of Vision
We are used to the fact that what we see is what we know. Seeing is believing. However there are myriads of things and phenomena which we don’t see, yet they are real. At the same time, our brains can be tricked into seeing something that is not actually there. Each moment in life we’re switching between real and unreal, seen and unseen. This project is inspired by this constant process.
Vienna, Austria
2021
Title:
I'm Staying
Story & Message:
Coming soon
Title:
Sky Dive
Story & Message:
Coming soon
Title:
Not Afraid Of The Sun
Story & Message:
Coming soon
Title:
Unpredicted
Story & Message:
Coming soon
Residents
Living so close to others with only thin concrete walls separating us from our neighbors it looks like we have become even more isolated. People can hear a person next door snoring, yet, not even know her name. Yet, even though we might not be conscious of it, living with others brings a certain sense of comfort and community to our lives. What if the whole huge multistory building was all yours? What kind of games would you play there? Would you feel happy or sad? This project is a fantasy where I try to imagine visual answers to those questions.
Helsinki, Finland
2022
Title:
My Tribe
Story & Message:
We’re stronger when we are together. We’re more confident and free. We feel supported. I found my tribe and I’m not alone anymore.
Title:
Happy To Be Here
Story & Message:
I am where I am supposed to be and I am happy to be here.
Title:
Protected
Story & Message:
The secret guardians of the place always protect you. Who are they? You’ll never know. But they will always be there. Will always be with you.
Title:
Residents
Story & Message:
We don’t know each other, yet it doesn’t matter. We are both here for each other. This is what matters most.
Title:
Up And Down
Story & Message:
Is it just myself? Or is there really someone else here next to me? Am I dreaming or is it just the voices from the parallel world?
Title:
Way Out
Story & Message:
There’s always a way. Always. Keep looking and you’ll find it. Or it finds you.
Title:
Hot and Cold
Story & Message:
Have you ever tried separating the poles of a magnet? Have just a positive or just a negative pole in one part? It's not possible in real life. Everything has two sides and we can't just have the good without the bad, happy without sad, hot without cold. Our lives would be incomplete and unbearable. Change and variety, opposites and uncertainly: those are things that make life worth living.
Individual Works & Projects
In Process - 2022
- miscellaneous works from future projects -.
Artworks are available in sizes:
COMING
2022
Title:
Sprouts
Story & Message:
Nature always wins. No matter how hard we try to edit it, it will always find its way to regain what's lost.
Sochi, Russia,
2021
Title:
Sky Fishing
Story & Message:
Sometimes it's not so clear who is the catcher and who is on the hook. Are you chasing a dream or is your dream chancing you? Maybe it's both.
Helsinki, Finland
2020
Title:
My Kind of Trees
Story & Message:
Who said you have to conform? Who knows what's right? Everyone is planting their own garden and she was no different. Finding comfort where others saw only thorns.
Barcelona, Spain
2022
Title:
Runaway
Story & Message:
It can seem so liberating sometimes to run away and hide from everything and everyone. Yet, often it turns out that the thing you're running away from it the one that you need to be running towards.
Helsinki,
2021
Title:
Squares
Story & Message:
It is a joy to be hidden, but disaster not to be found.
We all need to hide sometimes. We need to go into the private space of our minds and reflect. And then, having done so, we long to be discovered by someone who’s looking, someone who really wants to find us. It's like the hide-and-seek game. If we never have our feelings known and accepted by the people who are important to us, then hiding is no game; it’s a way of life.
Sochi, Russia
2021
Title:
Moonset on Solaris
Story & Message:
Coming soon
Title:
Still
Story & Message:
The infinite struggle of choice can block our vision. However, it’s always impossible to know the outcome of the “other” option, so just making a step in whichever direction is better than simply stagnating. Get still, listen and make the step.
Title:
Look Up
Story & Message:
Coming soon
Title:
By Your Side
Story & Message:
Coming soon
Title:
Moons In Pink
Story & Message:
Coming soon
Title:
We're Waiting For You
Story & Message:
Coming soon
Fire & Water
It was a big decision for me to take portraits of my parents in the first place. Not because “I had to” or they expected me to, but because I wanted to do it, I REALLY felt like it. It suddenly occurred to me that this is how I viewed them (or better sensed, because I wasn’t consciously thinking about them this way ever) t.
Mom has always been full of energy, both productive and distractive. The fast and the furious. She was the “fire” in my life: she could keep me warm, but she could really burn me at times. Saying it in the past tense, because I describe my childhood perspective of things, and frankly, my childhood, the psychological one, lasted for too long. Only now do I feel like finally have grown up and have become disconnected from all the past emotions, traumas, fears, expectations, and hopes that little Dasha had.
My mom is the hero of my life and I really want to state that with this portrait. She’s strong, powerful, fearless. She endured and still does much pain in her life, but that didn’t and doesn’t brake her. She gave me the fuel and the courage to do many things in life, both genetically and by her own example, and for that I’m endlessly grateful.
I really feel that the color and the vertical lines in the background reflect the strength, assertiveness, and energy that I have always seen in her.
My dad has always been a quintessence of calm and emotional control. I never, and I mean NEVER even once, saw him getting angry or bitter about anything in life. He always seemed steady and stable, and even boring and lacking change, and cold sometimes. He could stop any fire and heal any burn with his relaxed coolness.
I didn’t appreciate it much, when growing up, but later in life the stillness that he transferred to me paid off immensely. I wouldn’t be who I am today if I never took a more grounded, cold, calm, and controlled view of life situations I’ve faced. I am hugely grateful to have inherited this part from my father.
I tried to convey the cool and calm stillness of my father’s soul through the horizontal lines, absence of details, and the color palette, which is comprised of various shades of blue and grey.
I almost cried when editing the works. Finally accepting my parents as people, not as gods that they have always seemed to me when I was a child. I didn’t want to make them prettier, I didn’t want to retouch too much. The portraits are about acceptance. They are being themselves and I am accepting them as they are. And accepting myself through this process.
2022
Title:
Dad
Story & Message:
Coming soon
Title:
Mom
Story & Message:
Coming soon
Wandering
All of us need wandering time, time to just ramble without a definite purpose or objective. The time when you detach and disconnect, and sort of feel like a separate molecule just dwelling between substances, not sure a part of which you want to become. The wandering times lead to wonderful shifts in our perceptions and often mindsets and ways of living. But it's so scary to just wander away from what is so comfortable and familiar into the unknown. And even scarier to just do nothing. Just wander.
Matsesta, Russia - Helsinki, Finland
2021-2022
Title:
Guide You
Story & Message:
Crystal dew drops, soft leaves, tender breeze, gentle aroma of the greenery. A perfect day in a Paradise.
When you're lost in the royal gardens of Eden, I will guide you out.
Title:
My Sky
Story & Message:
Coming soon
Title:
The Next In Line
Story & Message:
Coming soon
Title:
In the Arena
Story & Message:
Coming soon
Title:
My Future Self
Story & Message:
You in 3, 5, 10 years from now is a radically different person from who you are today. You haven't met yet, but you can already try to make friends and see the world from that "future you" perspective. Of course, you won't be accurate, but it might help you see a bit clearer when your path in a labyrinth of life gets cloudy.
Spreading Wings
What if you take a new approach to flying and turn the idea of "being grounded" upside-down? Yes, some things in life are impossible, right until they become... possible! Challenging your own beliefs, and rules you've set for yourself even once in a while, and just for the fun of it may have amazing power. It helps you not to take yourself and life around you too seriously. Because what is the world around us rather than the Universe just entertaining itself?
Helsinki, Finland
2021-2022
Title:
Walking In the Sky
Story & Message:
Coming soon
Title:
Love Is the Answer
Story & Message:
Coming soon
Title:
Butterfly Illusion
Story & Message:
Coming soon
Title:
They Are Friends
Story & Message:
Coming soon
Way of a Cloud
From my early childhood, I considered clouds to be my friends. They were always there when I needed them. They bought comfort and shade on a hot sunny day, they took shapes of different animals and wonderful creatures, when I was bored or sad, they were white and grey when I needed rest and colorful and bright in the lights of dawn or sunset when I longed for adventures. They were always changing, but they were always there. Inspired by my childhood memories this series is dedicated to my cloud friends and all the wonderful moments we had together.
Zurich, Switzerland
2021-2022
Title:
Future Memories
Story & Message:
Coming soon
Title:
I'm with You
Story & Message:
Coming soon
Title:
Home Found
Story & Message:
Coming soon
Tunnel Vision
A thought of a tunnel may evoke two opposite emotions simultaneously. It’s scary, because you’re about to enter the darkness, but it brings hope for a better future with the light in the end. For centuries tunnels have represented journeys, yet sometimes they symbolize the passage from one phase of life to another. Rebirth in a new form, either physically or mentally, and the journey of metamorphosis is usually very painful.
This project is dedicated to dealing with change in the outside world and making peace with it on the inside. Every tunnel has the other side, often bursting with light and hope. It is the contrast of the tunnel’s darkness that gives light its power and resonance.
Zurich, Switzerland
2021-2022
Exclusively for TiNT Gallery
Title:
The End of the Tunnel
Story & Message:
Sometimes the purpose of dark times is to wake you up to the truth that you have been ignoring all along. The truth is scary or even terrifying… right until you choose to face it. But there’s a new beginning right behind it.
Exclusively for TiNT Gallery
Title:
Scilent Scream
Story & Message:
The sound of the flapping wings feels terrifying but brings relief at the same time. They are leaving. Those dark creatures keeping her restless. Everything will be different from now on. She will open her eyes, turn around and see the light. And understand finally that it was there all along, walking down the tunnel hand in hand with the darkness.
Inspired by “The Scream” by Edvard Munch
Title:
There's Always the Light in the End
Story & Message:
Coming soon
Title:
Cloudy
Story & Message:
Coming soon
Hopeless
Hope is what we believe to be greater than ourselves. Without it, we believe we are nothing. All meaning, everything we understand about ourselves and the world, is constructed for the purpose of maintaining hope. Therefore hope is an inherently crucial component of a healthy psyche. Yet, while hope is the solution to our personal problems, it is also often the cause of our social problems. Visions of hope, when pursued far enough, have destructive consequences. They also make us suffer, if we don’t get what we hoped for.
Perhaps, doing something not hoping for any good outcome is the most courageous thing we could do. There are no guarantees, yet we do it anyway. Then, if we get a positive outcome it’s a pleasant bonus.
Helsinki, Finland
2018-2022
Title:
Hope Not
Story & Message:
Hope not. But do it anyway. And you’ll be stronger than ever.
Title:
My World
Story & Message:
All meaning we give to our lives is constructed on hope. We might not realize it, but our hopes are in the very essence of how we perceive the world and how we interact with others. Our hopes are our world.
Title:
Gone
Story & Message:
Losing hope might seem devastating. Yet, if it doesn't stop us from action, it might turn out to be the best thing that happens to us. Clinging to hope makes us miserable when our hopes are not fulfilled. If we don't hope for the best but do what we consider to be right anyway, any positive outcome is a pleasant surprise.
Imaginary Seascapes
Everything that you see and hear around you is your brain's reconstructed model of the world. This is not how the reality actually is. It's how you perceive it. If so, why not play with those perceptions and imagine a whole new reality? Plain, simple, calm, and clean. It can be our new home where we have space for unexpected thoughts and novel ideas, a space where we can rest and reevaluate our positions, where we can learn ourselves better so that we can go on our life quest and be more prepared for what's coming next.
2022
Title:
Sea Within
Story & Message:
Coming soon
Title:
Home
Story & Message:
Coming soon
Title:
Free
Story & Message:
Coming soon
Title:
Keeping Company
Story & Message:
Coming soon
Title:
Reflection
Story & Message:
Coming soon
Change
No one has all the answers. Even if it seems so, sometimes. It’s the uncomfortable truth. So we’re bound to make up our minds and then change them over and over again. Does change have to always be painful? Can we approach it as play? It’s up to us to decide. And then change our mind again.
Zurich, Switzerland
2022
Title:
Changing My Mind
Story & Message:
"What got you here won't get you there" is a counterintuitive approach, yet it works very well in life. You need to change your mind about the world being flat in order to get to the moon.
Title:
Reflection
Story & Message:
Some things in life are only for you to experience and feel. No one else will ever be able to understand, so don't expect them to.
Wind of Change
Story & Message:
Minds are never changed overnight. Even when the external circumstances do. It's a process, and like any process it needs time.
Title:
Compass
Story & Message:
Compass makes finding your direction easier. Having a clear direction means that you want to move on.
Title:
Should I stay or should I go?
Story & Message:
Is'n this the most profound question ever?
Looking For Solution
There is no one best way to do anything. There are many great ways, as many as there are people, views, and perspectives. Finding a single "right" point of view is impossible. If you think you're right all the time, it's a delusion. That's why when we look for solutions and learn, we become a little "less wrong" with every step.
Vienna, Austria
2021-2022
Title:
Float
Story & Message:
"The Way never acts yet nothing is left undone" is a core principle of wu wei, a concept of taoism philosophy. It doesn’t mean not acting, it means ‘effortless action’ or "actionless action". It means being at peace while engaged in the most frenetic tasks so that one can carry these out with maximum skill and efficiency. Not forcing, going with the natural flow of things. When you are one with what you are doing, you're in perfect equilibrium. Sometimes this is the best solution available.
Title:
Looking For Solution
Story & Message:
The more you know, the more you don't know. We can’t learn that which we think we already know. Keep our minds open. Never think that we have arrived, only that we remain on a journey to which there is no end.
Keep learning. Keep asking.
Title:
Illusion of Control
Story & Message:
Human brains have evolved to perceive physical reality in order to control it. It's by learning how to control the world people can get what they want. But, is controlling the world around you truly possible? Maybe the best way of control is learning to let go and manage your expectations.
Uncertainty
Uncertainty has always been feared and disapproved of. Yet, people who are uncertain in their beliefs tend to be more tolerant and broad-minded. They change their minds about the world around them more easily and eagerly, constantly upgrading their perspectives. Those upgrades usually don’t come instantly, but in a series of little events, thoughts, epiphanies, and life situations. The project speculates on such instances presenting them in a metaphorical way. The more uncertain people are the more open they are to learning. I hope there’s more uncertainty in the world.
Vienna, Austria
2021-2022
Exclussively for Vision Gallery, Israel
Title:
Trajectory
Story & Message:
Our life is not determined by our experiences, but by the meaning we give them. It’s always up to us to decide on which trajectory we set ourselves no matter what is coming at us.
Title:
As It Is
Story & Message:
We never see reality as it is. We see it as we are.
Exclusively for TiNT Gallery
Title:
Off the Charts
Story & Message:
Whatever you're going through is neither this nor that. It's not bad or good, not painful or pleasurable. It's both. There's always a silver lining and a pinch of salt. If you remember this life becomes easy.
Title:
Zenith
Story & Message:
Change is gradual and comes in little steps, but there's always a breaking point that brings the most pain and the most relief at the same time.
Title:
Not Alone In the Rain
Story & Message:
You're never alone.
Same But Different
We all want a certain amount of surprise in our lives, otherwise living would be boring.
But too much change and uncertainty are overwhelming and painful. This is why all the major breakthroughs in human history and development were not welcomed by the masses.
We all want that our life experiences are the same and safe, but different and challenging/entertaining at the same time.
Trying to play with the notion that you can’t enter the same river twice and imagining like one and the same, the very familiar and plain image of a horizon line above the sea can be viewed from multiple different angles.
Sochi, Russia
2021-2022
Title:
Flock
Story & Message:
Coming soon
Title:
Dive
Story & Message:
Coming soon
Title:
Cruise
Story & Message:
Coming soon
Title:
Sun
Story & Message:
Coming soon
Resistance
“The more important a call or action to our soul’s evolution, the more Resistance we will feel toward pursuing it.” - Steven Pressfield “The War of Art”
Newton’s 3rd law of physics says: “To every action, there is always opposed an equal reaction”. Often we feel this very concrete law of physics in our psychological struggles. Every attempt to grow, to do something new, to learn, and to develop will inevitably face some kind of reaction. Something be it our environment, family, circumstances, but most often our own beliefs and self-talk don’t allow us to make our next steps and attempts to block the growth.
This force, this resistance can come in any shape or form: indecision, negative self-talk, procrastination, conflicts, fear, doubt, self-sabotage, shame, guilt. This project attempts to show in a metaphorical way all those types of things that can block our creativity and growth. My hope is that every person, facing the resistance of some kind realizes that, in the end, the resistance it’s not real and can be blown away like a piece of paper when you know exactly why you need the growth and why you want to create.
2019-2021 (in progress)
Title:
Aligned
Story & Message:
Coming soon
Title:
Freedom
Story & Message:
If your mind is free, no one can ever take that freedom away.
Title:
Irrational Passions
Story & Message:
We suffer more in our minds than in reality. The moment we get still and calm, we can let go of suffering and start acting rationally. “The mind without passions is a fortress. No place is more secure. Once we take refuge there we are safe forever.” —Marcus Aurelius.
Title:
Embody
Story & Message:
In order to change the world, you need to embody the change first.
Title:
Amor Fati
Story & Message:
Amor Fati is the practice of accepting and embracing everything that has happened, is happening, and is yet to happen. It is understanding that the nature of the universe is change and that without change we would not exist, our relationships would not exist, we wouldn’t laugh, cry, love, create, or grow. We would not experience any of this.
Whether the change is good, bad, enjoyment, suffering, or loss, it is necessary.
Title:
Shelter
Story & Message:
"Our actions may be impeded, but there can be no impeding our intentions or dispositions. Because we can accommodate and adapt. The mind adapts and converts to its own purposes the obstacle to our acting. The impediment to action advances action. What stands in the way becomes the way." - Marcus Aurelius.
Title:
Red Flash
Story & Message:
Coming soon
Title:
Rising
Story & Message:
The ancient myth of Icarus is both inspiring and tragic. It might be viewed as a perfect representation of duality in everything. Everything bright has a darker side and vice versa.
The artwork took about a week of editing and two days of compound shooting. It's a "sister" artwork for "Doubt" from the same project and has been inspired and driven by the warm energy of long Scandinavian summer days and "white nights" when it almost doesn't get dark and the sun almost never sets.
Title:
Serenity
Story & Message:
To be in harmony with the people around us, in harmony with our work, in harmony with nature - and most of all - in harmony with ourselves, is not an easy task. When we do achieve this beautiful equilibrium, we feel as if we were floating in the beauty of the world. It may take time to get to these moments in our life, but one thing is certain - they do exist. The more we let go, the more we become in harmony with our surroundings. The further we get from control, the closer we get to serenity.
Exclussively for Vision Gallery, Israel
Title:
Doubt
Story & Message:
Doubt is one of the biggest things that stops us from taking action. Moreover, it drains our energy, when we evaluate the options, trying to see all the pros and cons, possible gains or losses. However, what we often forget, is that there can never be a wrong decision made by us. Very simply, because it's impossible to know the outcome of going for a different option. So yes, embrace doubt, but do realize that it's ephemeral and let it go after it serves its purpose. Set it free as a bird.
Title:
Red Wings
Story & Message:
Passion includes a wide spectrum of feelings. Sometimes, we may have to use our passionate energy to defend ourselves. There is such a thing as healthy anger. When we’re pushed up against the wall, it’s only natural that we want to fight back. It takes courage to face our oppressors. And as soon as we do, they will see the fire in our eyes. With each time we stand up for ourselves, our skin gets thicker and thicker, and our mind becomes stronger and stronger.
Title:
Struggle
Story & Message:
I became interested in working with origami birds because of their simplicity and symbolism. They are fragile and easy to break, at the same time a bird usually perceived as a symbol of freedom, passion, endurance, and imagination, to say nothing about happiness. That's why I love exploring this symbol in multiple situations and various combinations of locations, colors, models, and shapes.
I'm also always fascinated by the topic of the duality of many things in the world. We are able to understand some notions, only because they have opposites, like sound and silence, light and darkness. I don't like to label those opposites as good or bad, I believe that it's all the matter of the perspective of the person who is perceiving them. Often, we are a combination of many opposites and are one in the end.
Exclussively for Vision Gallery, Israel
Title:
In and Out
Story & Message:
It is the power of creativity on all fronts – the ability to take in the bad and chisel it into something beautiful. Tough times make us see more, feel more – they help us become more relatable and empathetic to the world around us. It is often that we look back on a difficult chapter of our life and we revel in its beauty. When we are able to channel difficult emotions into beautiful works, we feel liberated. Those rough days, when washed down by the flow of time, often reveal themselves to be the ink that we can write with.
Title:
Resistance
Story & Message:
Negativity - we’ve all been there. There are days when negative thoughts won’t let us rest. They are sharp and pointy, and they poke us exactly in the spots that hurt the most. In these times, we lose hope. Our vision of the future gets deformed by our temporary pessimism. But under all of those gloomy thoughts lies our inextinguishable flame - our love for the world. We need to protect that fire at all costs. That flickering flame will take us back to the present.
Title:
Not Myself
Story & Message:
When we give in to our emotions two things happen: first, we go into action, second, we rarely think before we act and often regret what we have done when we were driven by passions. When we learn to ride the emotional wave, but use it consciously and thoughtfully miracles happen.
Title:
Goodbye and Hello
Story & Message:
Every time we let something go, we welcome something new into our lives. There are no "hellos" without "goodbyes".
Title:
Taking In
Story & Message:
When raw facts come at us, we have a say in how they will pass through. After all, facts are not good or bad - they just are. But our inner worlds are made up of delicate mechanisms, which allow us to interpret them in ways that benefit us. Whether they are memories or news we have just received - they might be the raw materials we need to grow. We may forget it sometimes, but we have the power to transform our gray days into the peace we have been craving.
Paris, France
2018
Title:
Will to Live
Story & Message:
According to Schopenhauer, the will is why we strive. the will is why we seek. but following it never satisfies, because the very will itself is keeping us from getting what we want. if we let go of will, the things just may fall in place themselves. or they won’t.
Title:
Weapon of Choice
Story & Message:
Some decisions are equally good or bad. Yet, we can get stuck in our hesitation for days on end. There’s no way of knowing what our choice will bring in the end. We might make some mistakes. But isn’t that part of the process? Where would we be without our mistakes? Probably stuck in the same impasse, wasting our precious time that we would like to spend on things that truly matter. The only bad decision is not making a decision at all.
Helsinki, Finland
2019
Title:
Back to Back
Story & Message:
Everybody has a shadow – it’s just how life is under the sun. The duality in us is a gift when we let both our sides flourish. They both serve a purpose. One is full of appetite for life, and the other may be a bit dark, but it stands up for us in times of need. These two entities are the perfect pair when they let each other do their jobs. When they are working together, back to back, they are unstoppable.
Helsinki
2018
Title:
XXX
Story & Message:
All you need is YOU. To keep moving you forward, to keep the flow going.
Barcelona, Spain
2019
Title:
Conflict
Story & Message:
Conflicts are the least enjoyable part of our relationships. But we get to a point where we just have to say how we feel. We say enough is enough, and we let loose. And then, words start flying around like angry birds. But they don’t leave empty-handed – they can take entire chapters with them. They might leave a gaping wound in us, which we might feel cannot be mended. But soon, the calm settles after the storm. Things start to change, and often they change for the better.
Helsinki
2018
Title:
Taking In Yellow
Story & Message:
Have you ever felt distracted by random life situations, careless phrases of other people thrown your way, tiny daily failures that don’t really matter, but still sting? They fly at us like tiny black birds, trying to tip us out of balance. Yet if we are in the right state of mind, these feelings dissolve in our optimism. When we’re not afraid of difficult feelings, they have nowhere to build their nests. Eventually they give up, and vanish into thin air.
Title:
Parting
Story & Message:
Parting with something or someone or who meant so much to us may turn our worlds upside down. The blend of good and bad memories makes it hard to feel just one way about it. They may have sparked a lot of joy in our lives, but the bond has become a weight on our shoulders. Letting go can seem like the most painful thing we have ever done. But most often it turns out to be for the better – to just leave it all behind, start a new chapter, and be grateful for the experience.
Helsinki
2018
Title:
Flash
Story & Message:
I Will Go On No Matter What
Title:
Equanimity
Story & Message:
Coming soon
Title:
Always Here
Story & Message:
I'm with you every step of the way. I'll walk you through fear, through pain and sadness. We'll become stronger, we'll climb that peak, but now, let's just stay here in silence and take a few minutes to rest.
Title:
Let's Talk
Story & Message:
They say that listening is a vital part of any communication. When we talk to ourselves in our minds, who is actually listening?
Title:
Hello, Old Friend
Story & Message:
You thought you won, you conquered it. But here it is. Back with you again. Some battles never end, but you can master the skills of a warrior.
Helsinki
2022
Title:
Tree Of Life
Story & Message:
As old as the beginning of the world. It's a constant reminder that life and change in it are inevitable.
Title:
Warming Up
Story & Message:
I'm just warming up. Wait for it. It will be something you have never experienced before. I just need a few moments to get fully ready.
Unmute and go Deep
Unmute and live your life to the fullest. See what’s possible. Explore the variations and embrace what’s possible. And accept that everything is possible. Find what resonates with you and dive deep into that.
The ultimate joy of color and exploration of it hypnotizing combinations. Their depth, intensity, and power.
Sochi, Russia
2021
Title:
Blue & Green
Story & Message:
Coming soon
Title:
Green & Blue
Story & Message:
Coming soon
Title:
Purple & Yellow
Story & Message:
Coming soon
Title:
Red & Yellow
Story & Message:
Coming soon
Title:
Yellow & Purple
Story & Message:
Coming soon
Title:
Turquoise & Purple
Story & Message:
Coming soon
Title:
Purple & Turquoise
Story & Message:
Coming soon
Princess & the Pea
“Princess and the pea” is a “textbook” fairytale and like every fairy-tale, it doesn’t make much sense and yet has lots of hidden meanings if you search for them. This series includes visual speculations and expansions on those possible meanings and morals. The danger of making assumptions, a big role that small things can play in life, being true to oneself, and never jumping to conclusions might be the important lessons found in the simple text for children if you’re willing to take in its wisdom.
Helsinki, Finland
2021
Title:
The Pea
Story & Message:
The “real” thing can only be found in the world if you take action: search, compete, fight, conquer and test, can’t it? It never just “comes” to you, does it? The idea of “luck” and “destiny” are tricky ones, because we always want to be in control of our own fate. Yet, many things in life are not up to us to decide. A princess can just show up at your door long after you gave up all the hope to find your happiness. We often forget that the absolute control makes surprise disappear. If you knew everything that would happen to you in advance, would you really want to live such a life?
Title:
The Real One
Story & Message:
Being fake never pays off in the end. Often the hardest part is not being fake to yourself and being comfortable in your own skin, with all of its soft and rough parts, all the pleasant and nasty edges.
Nature
Whatever we usually refer to as “human nature”: the uncontrolled emotions, irrational actions, lack of thinking, is usually the reflection of the animal origin in our brains. We are tiny cells in the giant organism of the Universe. We’re connected to everything around us and to each other. Then why do we often feel so unique, different and isolated? The project is speculation on this controversy.
Helsinki, Finland
2021-2022
Title:
Dew
Story & Message:
We're in this together. Same, but different. And all are equal.
Title:
Organism
Story & Message:
Every cell is important, every cell has its place and its function. None should be labeled good or bad.
Title:
Don't Fear The Rain
Story & Message:
You're never alone, so relax and learn to trust.
Title:
Flowers
Story & Message:
We are not as different from the rest of the natural world, as we often perceive ourselves to be.
Title:
Drop
Story & Message:
Nothing is what it seems, sometimes small things make a big difference, sometimes this difference is made up in our minds.
Four-year-old points to
A full pothole: “Dad, there are
trees in the puddle!”
Title:
Watering The Plants
Story & Message:
Coming soon
Title:
Hungry
Story & Message:
Coming soon
Title:
Fruit Of The Soil
Story & Message:
Coming soon
Subtraction
Life can be improved by adding, or by subtracting. The world pushes us to add because that benefits them. What if we focus on subtracting instead? First, I subtract everything that I can, and then I add only the most essential elements. The ones that I choose myself and that I feel will add the real value. I unlearn the old things and now my mind has space for the new knowledge. Ultimately there’s an infinity of possibilities in limitations. But you need to learn to subtract and make that space first in progress.
Sochi, Russia
2021
Title:
Slide
Story & Message:
Coming soon
Title:
Ready
Story & Message:
Coming soon
Title:
Setting For The Moon
Story & Message:
Coming soon
Exclusively for TiNT Gallery
Title:
Mirror
Story & Message:
Everything you see is a reflection of you in some way. You don’t see reality as it is, you see it as you are. Other people see it differently.
Exclusively for TiNT Gallery
Title:
Sun In Pink
Story & Message:
Mellow, mild, melting, and melodic. Enjoy the marvelous view while meditating.
Exclusively for TiNT Gallery
Title:
Sending the Signal
Story & Message:
Out into the blue. Hoping that someone will get it and come. No, you don’t need a savior. But a pleasant company would be nice for a change.
Title:
Into the Blue
Story & Message:
Coming soon
Title:
Dragon
Story & Message:
Coming soon
Title:
Rings on the Water
Story & Message:
Coming soon
Title:
Sandclock
Story & Message:
Coming soon
Title:
Beniding Reality
Story & Message:
Coming soon
Title:
Wrapping My Arms Around You
Story & Message:
Coming soon
Title:
Lifebuoy
Story & Message:
Coming soon
Title:
Riding the Wave
Story & Message:
Coming soon
Title:
Locked Down
Story & Message:
Coming soon
Title:
Evaporate
Story & Message:
Coming soon
Fairies
Strength, honesty, calmness, all of those qualities can be seen as magical powers of supernatural creatures sometimes. This is my take on how the magical beings empowered with those qualities might look when seen in a world almost identical to ours. Those are fairies and their images are inspired by my innate fascination with illustrations in children’s books and the works of artists like Nicoletta Ceccoli and Ray Caesar. Why the big eyes? Every child knows that the eyes are the most important part of a human face when you draw it.
Helsinki, Finland
2017-2021
Title:
Morning Coffee
Story & Message:
Coming soon
Title:
In My Eyes
Story & Message:
Researchers who study faces have observed that eyes are the window to the soul because they’re the most sincere part of the face. We don’t have any control over our eyes, as opposed to the mouth, for example. When you like something, your pupils dilate involuntarily and give you away, and they contract as a sign of rejection.
We’re not liars because we can’t be. We can voluntarily make our facial expressions and movements to match a certain social situation, but we can’t stop our eyes from reflecting how we feel.
Can you see my soul through my eyes?
This image was created in collaboration with a doll artist, which is known as @tilly2milly on Instagram.
2020
Title:
Dare
Story & Message:
Coming soon
The Dark Days of the Soul
"The Dark Days of the Soul" is inspired by the darkness of Finnish winter and the limited ability to physically change places due to the situation in the world. In times like that new opportunities to travel arise. It’s a different kind of travel though, it’s a journey within.
Each work covers a particular state of mind that I translate into a visual form. Some of them are truly dark, some are bright, but this is how the duality of life works: we wouldn’t be able to see light without the darkness.
Helsinki, Finland
2020-2021
Title:
The Inside Universe
Story & Message:
Microcosm. As curious creatures, we are always looking for newness in our world - be it the cafe in town that just opened recently or the latest Instagram food trends. As we pursue novelties in our lives, we often forget that there is an equally vast world in all of us - made of our experiences, memories, feelings, and thoughts. In times like this when we cannot travel to the outside world, how about we all spend some time exploring our inside universe?
Title:
Co-Creation
Story & Message:
Melting. An artist is not the sole creator of an artwork. Whenever someone looks at a piece and tries to make sense of it, the individual adds layers of meaning through personal interpretation, background, and cultural experiences. The meaning of an artwork then becomes a conversation and negotiation between the artist’s intention and the viewer’s perception. The same can be said about our interactions with anything and anyone in life. While we can be experiencing and sharing the same moment together with another person, we can also both derive different meanings and memories of the encounter. We are constantly involved in co-creating the reality around us.
Title:
Looking Out
Story & Message:
Macrocosm. Exploring our inside universe can bring us a profound sense of comfort, familiarity and safeness. Yet when taken to the extreme, it can also become a form of mental reclusion. While exploring our inner self, it is equally important to be aware that we are part of something bigger. The outside world can and always is extremely challenging, but beautiful at the same time. Opening up to the universe around us makes us grow. And isn’t it what this life is all about - constant growth?
Title:
The Final Bit
Story & Message:
Fragment. As humans, our entire existence comprising our faith and belief, lifestyle habits, and way of thinking are largely influenced by the world and people around us. We are not truly “authentic” by the definition of the word yet when the individual pieces that represent us are put together, we become a mosaic of identities that is undeniably unique.
Title:
Centered
Story & Message:
Equilibrium. The state of being in complete balance with the energies and forces of the universe. As we encounter new life events and challenges, this balance is constantly being tested. Dire situations can offset the scale and send us in a downward spiral. The only way to prevent this is to have a strong anchor in life so that we can remain steadfast in our beliefs and principles, no matter what life throws at us. The anchor is always near, always in you. Do you feel it?
Exclussively for Vision Gallery, Israel
Title:
Sugar Cubes
Story & Message:
Temptation. Can you recall the last time you succumbed to it? All of us have ambitions and aspirations that we are working towards but as time goes on, more distractions and obstacles pile up and pull us away from our goals; and sometimes all it takes is that moment of weakness... Willpower is incredibly finite and perhaps it takes something deeper than that to get you where you want to be. Are you willing to find out what it is?
Title:
Portrait of Self
Story & Message:
Blurred. Has it ever occurred to you that you have never actually seen your own face before, only pictures and reflections of it. The face, which serves as an essential feature of our identity, is ironically invisible to ourselves. And if this version of “self” only exists in the eyes of others, when no one is around to see it, can we be certain that this “self” is not a mere illusion?
Title:
Key
Story & Message:
Monotony. Trapped in this endless cycle of rigid repetition and the mundane ways of being, we are all looking for a way to break free. To escape from our fate as a cog in a wheel and the endless march towards nothing. Yet we fail to see that the key to unlock life’s puzzle is not one of pursuit, but one of discovery. We all hold the key to free ourselves from our trappings. We just need to know where to look.
Title:
Taped
Story & Message:
Constrained. We must all have felt this at some point in our lives. Feeling restricted, suffocated and trapped as if that is our destiny and there’s no way out of it - physically, mentally and emotionally. Times like these are not easy to get through yet when we look back at those moments, we somehow did. No matter how bad things were, we pulled through; no matter how bad things are, we will pull through.
Exclussively for Vision Gallery, Israel
Title:
My Order
Story & Message:
That moment of sweet joy when the stars align and everything falls into place. Just like a surfer riding the perfect wave, a writer overcoming their writer’s block, or you finally figuring out how taxes work. We are all in pursuit of these perfect moments in life when things just work. When was the last time you found yourself in this space?
Title:
Pearls
Story & Message:
Illusion. Seeking the good in the bad; finding order in chaos; seeing patterns in randomness. Everything in life can be viewed from multiple perspectives, and nothing is ever truly singular. We can all be looking at the same sky yet make out different shapes and figures in the clouds. But who is to say that what they perceive is any more valid than the others?
Title:
Be the Light
Story & Message:
Overcast. Can you recall a moment in life when you felt disoriented and lost, and that everything around you seems a little amiss. That crippling sense of helplessness and exasperation, and how the universe is seemingly conspiring against you. In times like this, we can resign to fate and choose to dwell in the darkness; or to look within for a spark, to rekindle the flame and light up our day. Which will you choose?
Title:
Sun in My Sails
Story & Message:
Everything we believe in is fiction. Created by one person, or a group of people or by whole nations. Stories comprise our whole world: starting from products that are being sold to us in a grocery store to social norms, religions, and human rights. To say nothing about the stories that we tell ourselves about ourselves. All of them are man-made with some purpose. So you need to be extremely careful with each and every story you have in your life and maybe go for more inspirational and empowering ones instead of dark and energy-draining. That's especially true for the stories you choose to act upon. And probably it’s worth reminding yourself every once in a while, that whatever you believe in is not one and only truth, but only a story, and other people may have a different opinion on it, and that’s OK.
Title:
In My Mind's Eye
Story & Message:
This is where it all is happening. Or to be more precise: it’s all happening in consciousness. Your consciousness. You being the observer of everything that’s happening to you: breathing, hearing, ice cream, anger, love, rain, sunshine, new job or new baby. And it’s all about the experience of it. Recently, it seems like the only real thing.
Title:
Scattered Universe
Story & Message:
Imperfection. Living in this random and unpredictable world, we often find our thoughts in a state of chaos and disorder. Rather than seeking perfection as a prolonged state of being, it seems more fitting to regard it as a flash of serendipity. When our mind is in a state of flux, that is perhaps the best time to compartmentalise our thoughts and allow time for things to slowly move into their place.
Title:
The Black Square
Story & Message:
Coming soon
Title:
Loose
Story & Message:
The feeling of a free fall is scary, but necessary sometimes. You need time to disconnect from your usual lifestyle, habits, beliefs and shake your "snow globe" so that you look at the world with new eyes. You need time for exploration and discovery. It's vital for growth, which is the essence of life itself.
Title:
Waking Up
Story & Message:
Someday there comes a moment when you get it. All the reasons for your past behavior. All the causes of pain. All the "whys" behind the "hows". This is the moment of true freedom.
Title:
Deep Asleep
Story & Message:
Coming soon
Title:
Unclear
Story & Message:
Coming soon
Title:
Rays
Story & Message:
Coming soon
Title:
Yellow-Washed
Story & Message:
Coming soon
Title:
Rough Edge
Story & Message:
Coming soon
Title:
Watching You
Story & Message:
No one is watching. Or is there? Should you be brave and open your eyes to see? Or just stay just as you are, pretending, as there's no one watching.
Synesthetic Letters
Synesthesia is a perceptual phenomenon in which stimulation of one sensory or cognitive pathway leads to automatic, involuntary experiences in a second sensory or cognitive pathway. In grapheme-color synesthesia, individual letters of the alphabet and numbers are associated with specific colors and sometimes colorful patterns. While different individuals usually do not report the same colors for all letters and numbers, studies with large numbers of synesthetes find some commonalities across letters (e.g. A is likely to be red). A number of artists, writers, and scientists had synesthesia, among them Vincent Van Gogh, Wassily Kandinski, Vladimir Nabokov, Nicola Tesla, etc. Some synesthetes are reported to have learned how to apply their ability in daily life and work, for example, have used their abilities in memorization of names and telephone numbers, mental arithmetic, and more complex creative activities like producing visual art, music, and theater.
This project attempts to show how we, two synesthetes, Dasha Pears and Jane Kristoferson, view the world and see letters in colors, sometimes attributing additional concepts to them.
St. Petersburg, Russia
2018-2021
Title:
A
2018
Title:
B
2018
Title:
C
2018
Title:
C
2019
Title:
E
2020
Title:
F
2020
Title:
G
2020
Title:
H
2019
Title:
I
2019
Title:
J
2018
Title:
K
2018
Title:
L
2018
Title:
M
2018
Title:
N
2018
Title:
O
2018
Title:
P
2018
Title:
Q
2018
Title:
R
2018
Title:
T
2019
Title:
U
2019
Title:
V
2020
Title:
W
2020
Title:
X
2020
Title:
Y
2020
Title:
Z
2020
Paper Lords
The situation the whole world was in forced us to look at many things from a new perspective. The experience was painful but valuable. But you can only get a gain from your pain if you pause and take time to reflect on your actions, feelings, and thoughts. This project is a tribute to the lockdown wisdom, that each of us faced in a unique way.
We tried to imagine what the kids would do if they were locked down on their own in a situation similar to a pandemic version of "the Lord of the Flies" story. No parents, no rules, but not too much freedom either. So in our narrative, the kids make themselves the kings and queens of their lockdown home kingdom using paper and toys to create their symbols of power. Those symbols are fragile, they don't last long and are easily broken. But isn't it true for anything in life? Any habits, ways, things we get so much used to can disappear in a second.
Helsinki, Finland
2020
Title:
Focused
Story & Message:
Marlene was sitting by the TV, carefully rolling up her posters to have ready for the next day. She was preparing for her class presentation. The rest of the house was in high spirits. It was their favorite part of the day – the part where everybody sat around doing nothing. Marlene, even when at rest, seemed stiff and indomitable. One had the sense that she could never be caught off guard. Her unshakable posture attracted playful comments from the boys. But her walls were built to last. She was preparing for the big day, and no silly jokes were going to throw her off her course.
Title:
Not The Way I Wanted
Story & Message:
Emil looked as bummed as the willow tree standing outside the open window. “Why can’t we go?” he asked the willow tree. “Because it’s closed.”, said the tree. “Why is it closed?” he asked. “Because of the virus, remember?” he replied. “I hate the virus.”, Emil said. “I hate the virus too.”, the willow tree replied. “I’m going to be a virus doctor, and I’ll open everything” he declared. “That’s a great idea. We need virus doctors.”, the tree said. From that day on, all Emil played was Operation.
Title:
It's All In My Head
Story & Message:
Wanting to liberate himself from the gray monotony of confinement, Will raised his airplane arms and set off. From below the clouds, he could see the whole neighborhood, the tiny brown houses, the patches of green, and the pond where they used to go on walks with his parents. It was all coming over him now – the burden of trying to be strong, of trying to act like a grown-up. He let out a few tears and watched them fall and form ripples in the pond.
Title:
Master of Alteration
Story & Message:
It has become a tradition to place the box full of picked-up toys in front of Oliver’s room. A seemingly random combination of objects – a cowboy hat, a paintbrush, a TV remote – was enough for him to travel far beyond the confinement of the walls. Still sleepy from his afternoon nap, Oliver crawled out of the room, picked up what he needed, and crawled straight back. He was ready for the next adventure, another enthralling planet, a distant tribe that needed his help, a damsel in distress.
Title:
Bring The Lights In
Story & Message:
Before this predicament, Gary thought the best thing was staying up late. He used to fantasize about a world without bedtime, where the nights could be spent watching TV, eating cereal, and dancing in his pajamas. At 2 am – when a group of boys was playing around with floodlights at his window – he realized that was a fallacy. Gary did his best to squeeze his eyelids, but falling asleep was a hopeless task. He doddered out to the yard, and summoning his last drop of energy, he muttered: “Bring the lights in… please.”
Title:
Found
Story & Message:
Marianne, a noble soul, dedicated her whole time to the household. She cleaned the rooms and sketched out the weekly plans. Her indispensability to the group ensured her safety. But she couldn’t remember the last time she had time to kick her feet up. It ached her to think about all the time she spent not being herself. She quickly grabbed a can of peach soda, gathered her toys, and snuck out behind the willow tree. As she opened the can, she let the hissing sound wash over her. Having felt lost for so long, it sure felt good to be found.
Title:
Behind The Reflection
Story & Message:
“Everything ok:)?” one of the girls texted Sam in the classroom chat. “i’m fine. y does everybody keep asking me that?” replied Sam. Sam looked tough, unapproachable as if he didn’t want anything to do with anybody. Even now, feeling happy that she approached him, he couldn’t let his guard down. “idk. u look like you just crawled out of a sewer.“ the girl said, making Sam burst into uncontrollable laughter. As she suspected, behind that cold reflection, there was incandescent warmth.
Title:
I'll Lead
Story & Message:
With some confidence, Niko flung open the bedroom door and power-walked to the middle of the room. The room fell silent – all one could hear was the chirping of the crickets in the garden. With the pools closed, they have been thinking about a way of cooling down in the back garden. Niko had figured it out: “Here’s what we’re going to do.” All eyes were on him: “We’ll make the dogs dig a huge hole.” He was beaming as he conveyed his plan ardently with his stick. He was himself now. Bathing in the spotlight, he felt needed.
Title:
See Through
Story & Message:
You just never knew with Tim. He was quiet, but you had the sense that he knew more than he was letting on. The fantasy games he played ceaselessly seemed like a simple pastime. One only had to look closely to see that they were elaborate renditions of complex human dynamics he picked up on the street, at home, or at the local grocery store. The renderings gave him power, making him feel as if he was a director on a movie set capable of altering the stories unfolding around him.
Title:
Crown
Story & Message:
It was what Beth had wanted since she was little: to be queen. But now, with her wish granted, she didn’t feel as glamorous as she thought she would. The weight of the crown was slowly getting to her. It wasn’t fun, the unwanted attention, the talking behind her back. She just wanted her life back. The murmur downstairs was growing louder and louder. Was there a mutiny forming? She tried to remove the crown, but it was stuck to her head. Hearing the footsteps outside the door, she quickly hid under the bed and held her breath.
Title:
Heros Are Loners
Story & Message:
Tom wasn’t your regular popular kid. He wasn’t an intimidating loudmouth or a charismatic people-pleaser. He was athletic and intelligent, but he didn’t let it get to his head. There was an air of integrity about him, a rare commodity around these parts. Whenever kids got into trouble, Tom appeared on the scene and put out the fire. He wasn’t interested in cliques, rewards, favors, or climbing some imaginary social ladder. All he was interested in was justice – a lonely trade. Especially here, where the law of the jungle prevailed, Tom felt alone, more alone than ever.
Title:
Reign My Way
Story & Message:
Agatha glanced over the fence at the gathering clouds. She looked unfazed as if half-expecting the rain. The rest were removing the clothes from the clotheslines, running circles around her. Steadied by the weight of the world, Agatha exuded calm in such moments of agitation. She seemed almost royal, standing there, tall and composed. She was leading them into battle, into certain victory against this godforsaken storm. “What would they do without me?” she thought.
Title:
Treasures of the Secret
Story & Message:
The garden, as small as it was, was where Lisa had spent most of her days. She knew every blade of grass by now as if she were a blade of grass herself. Lisa went on treasure hunts, looking for anything new that could have fallen, resurfaced, or appeared out of thin air. She didn’t care for the fancy flowers – she looked for snails, white feathers they could put in their hairs, or sturdy pieces of wood she could reuse. When marching as she did now through the garden, she looked invincible, like a goddess of nature, a possessor of ancient wisdom.
Dripping Realities
No Project
As we go about our daily lives, we tend to assume that our perceptions — sights, sounds, textures, tastes — are an accurate portrayal of the real world. Yet, when we stop and think about it — or when we find ourselves fooled by a perceptual illusion — we realize with a jolt that what we perceive is never the world directly, but rather our brain’s best guess at what that world is like, a kind of internal simulation of an external reality. Still, we bank on the fact that our simulation is a reasonably decent one. If it wasn’t, wouldn’t evolution have weeded us out by now? The true reality might be forever beyond our reach, however.
Is space and time in which we think we operate just our VR headset, an interface that we can reverse engineer? What would it feel like to see reality as it is truly is? So far, it seems unimaginable, but at least we can imagine this “reality headset” melting and dripping away.
Inspired by the work of Donald Hoffman, an American cognitive psychologist, Professor of Cognitive Sciences at the University of California, Irvine, and popular science author.
The project emerged from my work on another series, called "Plastic Souls", so the characters look similar.
Helsinki, Finland
2020
Title:
Up and Down
Story & Message:
Coming soon
Title:
From Above
Story & Message:
Coming soon
Title:
Day by Day
Story & Message:
Coming soon
Title:
Melting Away
Story & Message:
Coming soon
ONN
"Old" is the new "New"
Fashion industry will never be the same. The pandemic radically changed everything: the way people shop, behave and think. Global brands stare into the abyss of the impending recession, many of them (such as Gucci, Armani, etc.) declare a new approach to creating collections, producing their goods and even announce entire fresh brand philosophies, focused on sustainability, ecology-conscious production, moderation, recycling and reuse of old materials and items. That’s crucial not only for the survival of businesses with decades-long histories, but also to serve the changing demands of the general public and fashion addicts.
What will the revitalized fashion industry look like? This project is our speculation on the possible options based on the Finnish fashion culture traditions, deep-rooted in love to mother-nature and huge respect for giving new lives to old items.
With this project we are telling 8 stories of contemporary Finnish-fashion addicts. It's sort of a guide of today's Finnish fashion scene. We spent months observing how Finns dress, shop and recycle their clothes. We talked to influential people in the local fashion industry and researched how the sustainable values are flourishing in the production process of garments.
Each story has its own unique flavor and represents a particular subculture, but all of them are connected by similar views and values. The stories are our fantasies and interpretations of how certain elements of fashion scene in Finland look like and how they shape the society.
With these project we want to express hope that in every disruptive event there's always a silver lining. Often less turns out to be more and in order to create something new, you don't have to throw away the old stuff, but find new unexpected ways to make it shine.
Helsinki, Finland
2020
Title:
Cool Warmth
Story & Message:
This character is organically connected with nature and its powers and is a continuation of the universal energy. The character is both cold and warm, masculine and feminine, black and white. It’s a representation of the oneness of the universe, when the polarities come together and are at peace.
Our climate is tough, so we need the warmth of the wool. Yet, our warmth has to be beautiful. It has to be unique. We know that local brands know best how to keep us warm, that’s why we shop local.
Title:
Life Pattern
Story & Message:
This character believes that you don’t need to bring flowers to your girlfriend, if you yourself can be that flower! For him, life doesn't have to be boring: you can stand on the ceiling, sleep upside down and wear patterns everywhere! His imagination is so wild that it spills out and colors the world around him.
Our landscape is plain, so we love to add colors and patterns to our everything: clothes, accessories, interior decor and even garden equipment! Patterns don’t have to be gender specific. Gender equality should penetrate everywhere and affect all the aspects of our lives, that’s why most of the patterns and clothing items are unisex.
Title:
Dear Pets
Story & Message:
Every pair of shoes is a new story about its owner. Each story shows the collector in a new light and from a new unexpected side. The more stories you have, the richer your life is. The beloved collection is like a family: each member has its place in the collector’s heart.
We love second-hand and we know that it’s the new “organic” and that it helps us preserve our beloved nature. Why? We know that:
-there are already enough clothes in the world, and the responsible thing to do is repair, recirculate, and re-wear what's already out there.
-by donating or buying second hand, we’re diverting waste.
-second-hand gives us a window into the past.
Title:
City Dress Code
Story & Message:
We are the same and different simultaneously. People like us do things like this and where things like that. We can instantly spot each other in the crowd and connect.
We are conscious about our clothing choices. We do pay attention to where, how and from what the items are made. If we buy from small local businesses with very clear production cycles we do better for the planet.
Title:
The Power of Myth
Story & Message:
The mythical creature who you can’t give a name to. It’s dark and mysterious. It knows what you don’t know and this knowledge is powerful.
Clothes literally can be made from trash. We strive to find new ways of recycling waste and your new clothes, bag or pair of earrings don't have to be made from fabric, anything old can be used, for example a unique dress can be made from a trash bag and a stylish bag can be crafted from a recycled tire.
Title:
Professional Alien
Story & Message:
“Who am I today? An alien or an angel? Am I a demon or a fairy?” - she asks herself every morning deciding what to wear. She lives in the here and now and this “here and now” is constantly changing. She’s learning, playing, exploring. Her life is changing every moment, so there it flies, catch it! Selfie time! Click! Share...
The society norms and ways will be changed only, when opinion leaders hop on the wagon and start proclaiming better values, like conscious consumption, buying second-hand, stopping animal cruelty. Pins.ku is the rising star of Finnish pop-scene and a hugely popular instagram influencer. She doesn't eat meat, prefers fake fur and gets many of her unique style items from special second-hand shops.
Title:
Cyber Connection
Story & Message:
The creator of cyber reality is writing the code of the future. He lives in the matrix and is nourished by neon acid and solar energy. There’s no place for the mundane stuff in his life, he is looking into the virtual future.
Minimalism in fashion is the new norm. We don’t need much stuff, we prefer to buy less, but of a better quality. Items which will last longer and be suitable for any situation.
Title:
Generation Hot
Story & Message:
There’s a fire in her heart and ice in her mind. She is the power and is ready to take the lead. We’re ready to listen, we are ready to learn, we will be humble and will follow you, wherever you go, because we know that it’s the right direction.
Brands like “PureWaste” rethink the ways in which clothing is produced. They want to make the textile industry more ecological, that’s why they challenge themselves to think of better, more sustainable solutions for operations in production, sales and logistics. They question the norms and traditional ways of the textile industry, asking: could things be done differently after all? Change in the textile industry starts with all of us thinking about things in a new way.
Title:
Follow the Leader
Story & Message:
Coming soon
Connect
Millions of people side by side on metros, in supermarkets, on the streets – we have never before been so physically close to each other in history. Yet it all feels a bit strange. Like our minds cannot get as close to each other as we would want them to. Like there’s nobody that really knows us.
As living creatures, we are wired for empathy and connection. Our ancestors lived in tribes and depended on each other for survival. Now, in our highly individualistic modern societies, everyone's for themselves. This affects our ability to connect. There’s so much more to relationships – deep down we can feel it. But somehow we’re lacking the words that could penetrate our shells. This collection of photographs captures the difficulties of connecting in a modern world that is characterized by physical proximity and emotional distance.
Helsinki, Finland
2020
Title:
Thinking of You
Story & Message:
Coming soon
Title:
Into the Wild
Story & Message:
Coming soon
Title:
We Connect
Story & Message:
Coming soon
Title:
Convo
Story & Message:
Coming soon
Title:
Buttoned Up
Story & Message:
Coming soon
Title:
Entangled
Story & Message:
Coming soon
Title:
Harmony
Story & Message:
Coming soon
Play
The best ideas come to you when you don’t try hard to get them. The best ideas are a result of simple play. With no pressure or responsibility. Wild and free. And limitless. Children know that, but as we grow up, we forget.
Our society tends to dismiss play for adults. Play is perceived as unproductive, petty, or even a guilty pleasure. The notion is that once we reach adulthood, it’s time to get serious. Yet, if we want to live our lives fully, play is like oxygen. This project was my personal reminder to myself that play is should always remain a crucial part of my life.
Wanna play? ;)
Helsinki, Finland
2020
Title:
Bubbles
Story & Message:
Coming soon
Title:
Thursty
Story & Message:
Coming soon
Title:
Banana Fight
Story & Message:
Coming soon
Title:
Sprinkles
Story & Message:
Coming soon
Title:
Party Time
Story & Message:
Coming soon
Title:
Let's Have Fan
Story & Message:
Coming soon
Eyes Wide
In solitude we are able to recover our energies, and start being ourselves again. But we are also social beings – who doesn’t like a good laugh with the loved ones?
The pandemic has changed the way we relate to other people – it forced us to become more distant. But it has also made it clear that we want to stay connected.
And when we’re free to connect, it’s difficult to know where to start. We want to get out there and finally let loose, but it feels a bit vulnerable. The words might not come out the same way. It may be scary to touch. It is like learning to talk or walk all over again.
Eyes Wide was shot right after the lifting of the lockdown. It captures the mixed emotions of someone who is trying to open up to the world and crawl back into their shell at the same time.
Helsinki, Finland
2020
Title:
Hiding Self
Story & Message:
Coming soon
Title:
I Am Here
Story & Message:
Coming soon
Title:
Spending Time
Story & Message:
The character in this image is sort of split between looking for a connection with the world and looking inwards to connect with the self. Often, we are afraid of being alone and don't realize that solitude might be the only place to find inner peace, comfort, and power to confront the difficulties of the outside world.
Title:
Where Are You?
Story & Message:
Coming soon
Title:
Searching
Story & Message:
Coming soon
Title:
The World and Me
Story & Message:
Coming soon
Orange Blues
Coming soon
Helsinki, Finland
2020
Title:
Hiding Self
Story & Message:
Coming soon
Title:
Center of Attention
Story & Message:
Coming soon
Title:
Tired Energy
Story & Message:
Coming soon
Title:
Pompom
Story & Message:
Coming soon
Title:
Jucy
Story & Message:
Coming soon
Title:
Spray It!
Story & Message:
Coming soon
Time is the Issue
Time has always been my obsession. The lack of it. The overwhelming abundance of it.
When I was young there was too much time and I didn’t know what to do with it. That was frightening. Hours and hours of time and no ideas on how to enjoy them.
Then abundance turned into a constant lack and deprivation. I can’t spend too much time on this, I’ll be late for that. I need it fast. I don’t want to waste time. ASAP! No time to think. No time to stop and see where I’m going.
So the time started to stop itself making me travel with it with the speed of light. My obsession went full circle. I learned to bend time. But only occasionally. When I finally get inside of a moment and stay there. Stay in the moment. Not chasing it. Just being there.
The project started with me wanting to show ways of wasting time. Then turned into self-reflection on my own relationship with it.
Helsinki, Finland
2019 - 2020
Title:
Let's Play
Story & Message:
To play - it comes so naturally to the human. It’s when we are playful that we feel most in our element. We may sometimes want to quench our thirst for fun by escaping into a ‘Second Life’. This often happens when we are not satisfied with our first life. Hours pass by, while we are submerged in a virtual reality. We are blinded by the dazzling light of the screen, and valuable time keeps escaping us. All that lost time, we could have lived in our first and true life.
Helsinki, Finland
2019
Title:
Social
Story & Message:
Connection with people is what we are seeking. It’s soothing to know that someone far away likes us, and cares about us. But there is a point when the phone starts dictating our behaviors. Human connections give us the greatest thrills, so it is understandable that we want more contact with people. But a picture of our lunch will not bring us the fulfillment that we are seeking. The time we spend looking at the world through our phones blinds us to all the beautiful human beings that are sitting right in front of our eyes.
Helsinki, Finland
2019
Title:
Don't Know What To Wear
Story & Message:
Piles of clothes that we’ve never used - as we open up the wardrobe they pour onto us. ‘What should I wear?’ - we ask, as a variety of fabric stares back at us. We’re afraid that unless we look perfect, people will think less of us. Minutes, maybe hours pass by until we finally make our choice. With a bit of courage we could be done in seconds, and still be ourselves. Adding up the hours we spend on picking outfits, we would get a few vacation days. All that fabric soaking up our precious time. Are your clothes wearing you out?
Helsinki, Finland
2019
Title:
Gossip
Story & Message:
How much time goes by talking the small talk - saying words that are not meant. Gossip may make us feel better in the short term, but it doesn’t do us much good in the long term. All the competing and bitterness catches up with us in the end. The time that is wasted on gossip could be spent building meaningful relationships, which are based on empathy. The chitter-chatter whispered in our ears is just noise. What we really want is wholesome conversations with people we can trust.
Helsinki, Finland
2019
Title:
Shopping
Story & Message:
We go on a website with an honest intention: to buy a jacket. The next day, an assortment of paper bags and cardboard boxes shows up at our doorstep. And then, in our houses filled with chunks of cardboard and bubble wraps we ask ourselves - did we really need all that stuff? We can almost feel the weight of the clutter pulling us down. We walk our feet off in malls, and we are left drained, while a walk in the forest would have revitalized us. Another day has gone by, and all we are left with is more things and less time. The hands of the clock never stop moving.
Helsinki, Finland
2020
Plastic Souls
There’s a fashion in everything. Even in ideas being spread. We can catch some like viruses and be absolutely sure that we now found the truth and discovered our way in this world. We cling to the illusion that now we have it under control.
The project is exploring how beautiful ideas like human connection, self-love, visualization of dreams to make them come true, positive thinking, caring for the planet, and finding peace often get twisted in the minds of those who catch them like a virus without going too deep into understanding what’s really behind. The project is an attempt to speculate what happens when an idea is downgraded to a fashionable trend and becomes just another trait of the mass culture.
The name of the project was inspired by David Bowie’s album name “Plastic Soul”.
Helsinki, Finland
2020
Title:
Love Yourself
Story & Message:
Self-love is another popular cultural trend that gets twisted in people's minds. So many controversial things are done today in the name of self-love: binge eating, substance abuse, cruelty to others, etc. Often people mistake getting the real sense of self-worth with getting closer to being just like another Instagram influencer with a perfect life.
Title:
Connect with Others
Story & Message:
Social Media gives us a sense of connectedness, especially when we get validation: likes, follows, thumbs up. Often we mistake that digital connection for the real thing and stop nourishing the relationships in our everyday objective reality.
Title:
Visualize Dreams
Story & Message:
Visualization of dreams and the law of attraction is a popular trend in modern culture. Yet for many, it turns into building castles in the sky and not doing anything in reality.
Title:
Think Positively
Story & Message:
In some cases trying to be positive all the time results in pushing away the real state of things, dealing with problems, and finding solutions.
Title:
Care for the Planet
Story & Message:
Trying to look good and be approved by others we sometimes embark on activistic journeys without doing the proper study of the matter. Does being a vegan actually make you a person who combats animal cruelty? How are new production trends actually influence the environment? What are the pros and cons of your personal actions?
Title:
Find the Peace of Mind
Story & Message:
Meditate to be in the trend, to be one of us, shut down everything that's bothering you, and bring us your money. Meditation retreats, enlightenment courses, yoga, and wellness centers are a multi-billion dollar industry. The question is what does this industry do to people if they only follow the trend to be in the trend.
Stuck with You
The project is a speculation on how close siblings affect each other's lives, when growing up and was born from my observation of the interactions of my daughters. Their lives intertwine in an unpredictable way, both shape the other’s opinions, moods, perceptions. Even though the relationship has its ups and downs, it doesn’t lose its tightness, which brings me to the conclusion that brothers and sisters and not parents are the closest people to you, because they share your life situations in many ways.
Helsinki, Finland
2020
Title:
In Your Shoes
Story & Message:
We are a sisterhood of shared dreams, shared friends, shared futures. We are like branches of a tree that weave in and out of each other, forever connecting. Always together.
We’ve walked down that same street in the same pair of jeans, and we’ve trod the same path in the same worn-out sneakers. Even though you set the tune, I happily follow,
forever your equal.
Forever your friend.
- Except from Branches of a Tree by Ella Bright
Siblings can often share the same experiences, the same friends, and the same clothes. They are interlaced and connected in ways that parents are not; they have an unspoken bond of truth, trust, and unconditional love that embodies itself in hand-me-downs and pre-loved dolls. And while the eldest often blazes the path, the younger will gladly follow to the ends of the earth. A bond that is stronger than water and thicker than blood is the bond that siblings share.
Title:
I Win
Story & Message:
When two are so close, it can be like a constant tug of war. I did it better. Mom loves me more than you. I got there first! I got a higher score. These are the words often uttered between the bonds of two, perhaps too close for comfort, yet inseparable, not realizing the world does not compare them with one another.
And so goes the life of siblings. From childhood to adulthood, the same battle. The same knot tying them together, even when they wish to be apart.
Title:
Inseparable
Story & Message:
There’s no other way to describe it. We are like one flesh, always together, giggling, dancing, crying. We share all of these precious moments, and they draw us closer. There’s just no other way of saying it. But we are one. Inseparable.
When two grow together, an invisible cord is drawn. They share the same lives, laughs, and tears, creating a fuse stronger than any glue. Their laughter harmonizes like a birdsong, and the patter of their feet play the drums as they skip to the kitchen table together. Always together, very rarely apart. And if ever apart, they yearn for the hour they meet, as if they have not seen each other in years.
Title:
Mom & Dad
Story & Message:
We are born from the same beginning, and we shared the same home. Our make-up is formed from the same entities, forming our being and personality. We may have different tastes; I like sweet, you like sour. We may have different thoughts; you like earth, I like water. But we run with one another, all and the same, our colors blending and molding together as though we were one.
From the very beginning - from the very embryo - We are incredibly formed. Whether we share the same parents or not, we are unique and inherit traits from our parents and beyond. Yet, despite striking differences, siblings still resemble one another in ways that clearly depict their lasting connection.
Title:
Confide
Story & Message:
There’s a whole world of us that no one else knows, a cord that binds us together and threads through our veins. The notes we pass in secret and the whispers only our ears hear will be forever ours.
Siblings share an unspoken trust that no one else - not even their parents - can enter. They confide in one another and entrust their innermost thoughts to each other, unaware of the protective barrier they build around themselves. It’s a beautiful bond that cannot be described with words, and even a parent cannot fathom the inner workings of the secrets their children share.
Title:
Grounding
Story & Message:
You steady my restless thoughts,
And you calm my wild, untamed heart.
When my feet lift off the ground, I feel the softness of your hands pull me back to the start. I think, perhaps, without you, I would be lost in the clouds.
But you plant me.
You firmly root me in the soil.
You are my grounding.
It’s a beautiful thing, having someone know you so well that they are able to catch you before you drift, before your feet even lift from the ground. Siblings often catch each other when they fall and hold on to one another before one takes flight. They have the ability to balance eachother out and keep eachother firmly grounded. All of us need to be brought back down to earth sometimes, and having someone that knows us so well - someone who can balance us out when our mind runs wild - is a gift we must cherish.
Title:
Life is Fun
Story & Message:
A life full of your laughter and tears is one that I will never let go of. Let’s play and tumble and fight ‘till our dying days. Let’s live life to the full, hand-in-hand, side-by-side.
Life is just better when you’re next to me.
The best thing about having siblings? They make life a daydream. You fight, play, and work together, creating memories that last beyond years and years apart. Even now, I can hear the sound of my [brother/sister]’s laughter, and I can’t help but smile at all the times we got in trouble, helped one another up, and fought over the last cookie. Life is just fun when we are together, and the memories hold me together when we are apart.
Yellow Drops
Collection
Coming soon
Helsinki, Finland
2020
Title:
Angle
Story & Message:
Rising or falling? It's all a matter of perspective. Every fall is a beginning of a new rise.
Title:
The Future Is Bright
Story & Message:
No point in stressing about it. It's coming anyway. So look boldly into the future and be ready for anything.
Title:
Melting Away
Story & Message:
Coming soon
Life of Folds
Origami is the art of turning a plain sheet of paper into practically any shape. The transformation of a piece of paper into virtually anything made me think of how we as humans tend to turn plain facts and life situations into positive or negative ones when we react to them emotionally.
In this series, origamis represent emotions that can sometimes be overwhelming, drive you in some direction, make you act a certain way. You can’t fight them. If you try, you will fail. So many of us have unresolved emotions from our childhood that drag us down and turn into miserable human beings. You can only be at peace with yourself when you acknowledge these emotions, observe them, let them be, and pass through you.
Helsinki, Finland
2017 - 2020
Title:
Minutes Go By
Story & Message:
Haven’t we all waited for that one, right moment to say something? That perfect time to do what we always wanted? Our fantasies may tell us that there is such a moment, but in reality that’s rarely true. And as we wait passively, the boats pass us by going to places where we’ve always wanted to go. Truth is, any time is a good time to jump in at the deep end. We can only explore if we leave the safety of the shore behind. Any time is a good time to begin.
Title:
I Have Wings Too
Story & Message:
This work is a part of the project shot in collaboration with the tourist board of Old Porvoo, one of the most charming little towns in Finland. In the project, we were telling a story of a girl, who lives in Porvoo and places that are special to her, like the ancient church that you can see behind her in this image. The black origami birds symbolize dreams, hope, and the sense of freedom that her heart is filled with right now. In addition, real blackbirds flying around the church are a part of this major sight of Porvoo, they are always there, kind of like pigeons at the main square of Venice and people come to watch them all the time.
Title:
Burden
Story & Message:
There was so much weight on her shoulders, she didn’t even realize it, until it was all lifted by a strange incident. The windows and doors were closed, but as she was sitting there, taking deep breaths with her eyes closed, something started to lift her. It was a tingling sensation, as if it was a swarm of butterflies that was lifting her. It wasn’t anything she could explain. It wasn’t a sudden realization that reduced the gravity around her, but something more like a deep silence, an awareness of the simplicity of the moment.
Title:
Butterflies
Story & Message:
In its metamorphosis from the common, colorless caterpillar to the exquisite winged creature of delicate beauty, the butterfly has become a metaphor for transformation and hope; across cultures, it has become a symbol for rebirth and resurrection, for the triumph of the spirit and the soul over the physical prison, the material world. Those transformations might be and often are very painful, but when the change is complete we can see all the grace behind the scars.
Title:
Loop
Story & Message:
There are those emotions that keep returning, even when they aren’t welcome. We may want to send them away, but they insist on staying. If we do manage to shake them off, they just return to us the same way. But what if we were to treat them like old friends - offer them a seat and a cup of tea? They must be weary from all the years they have been chasing us. Maybe - just maybe - it will give us a chance to get to know them, and accept them as shattering, nevertheless beautiful parts of our life.
Exclusively for Motel Collection London until Sep 2022
Title:
Entangled
Story & Message:
The subtle moments of uncertainty and doubt are what makes us human. To be entangled in the webs of desire and convention, pleasure and duty, emotion and rationality are part of our nature. Perhaps the way out of this entanglement is listening to what your gut, your intuition is trying to say; listening to the flapping of tiny red wings in one’s stomach. How often do you do that?
Tallinn, Estonia
2018
Title:
Invasion
Story & Message:
Seeing is not believing, believing is seeing. You do not see things as they are, you see things as you are. Everyone's beliefs are real to them, but they are not the external reality. They are your own filters and experiences for your unique perceived reality.
Sometimes emotions fueled by our beliefs make us see the things that are not actually there. The key is to recognize those moments and ask yourself, do I really want to jump into this rabbit hole?
Paris, France
2018
Exclusively for Motel Collection London until Sep 2022
Title:
Creeping In
Story & Message:
In the depths of the ocean there are creatures we’d rather not meet. And in the depths of our inner being there are emotions that we’d rather not feel. But there are days when we can feel them creeping in, coming up to the surface. There isn't much we can do, it’s just part of their nature to move towards the surface. We would like to be without them, but they are a part of us. They are roaming the depths of our ocean night and day, and they resurface when it’s our time to face them.
Helsinki, Finland
2017
Exclusively for Motel Collection London until Sep 2022
Title:
Growing
Story & Message:
There are thoughts, words, ideas or emotions that, once planted into our heads, can grow into something truly beautiful. They might emerge out of an intimate conversation, or a simple, kind gesture that seems so new to us – nothing like we’ve ever seen before. We don’t know how we want to get there, to that peace, authenticity and love we have just witnessed – we just know that we want to. And once it is planted, it grows and grows, looking more beautiful day by day.
Helsinki, Finland
2018
Title:
Wind in Her Hair
Story & Message:
She was always drawn to the sight of the endless ocean, the flock of seagulls circling freely at the pier and the salty wind caressing her hair. Everything in the town seemed a bit limited now. It seemed everybody was chasing dreams that weren’t theirs. But the ocean spoke to her of infinity, of vastness that fills the soul with freedom. A getaway, which always felt like home.
Tallinn, Estonia
2018
Title:
Fly
Story & Message:
Big dreams that come true are made of tiny little and mundane elements, like hopes, efforts, habits, failures, thoughts, realizations, and lessons learned. It takes time to collect all of those so that all the elements of a puzzle come together and you finally get a vision that changes your life.
Paris, France
2018
Title:
Trail
Story & Message:
Memories return to us in the most unexpected times. They may have taken place in the past, but we can feel the pain even in the present. The wounds in our heart remind us of the things we are desperately aching for – to return or to let go forever. These memories may feel like a burden on our shoulders, so it is understandable that we want to run away from them. But if we just hold them, and fold them with forgiveness and understanding, we will get back on our trail. The trail that takes us back to our authentic self.
Helsinki, Finland
Exclusively for Motel Collection London until Sep 2022
Title:
By Herself
Story & Message:
No matter how many feelings she folded up neatly, edge on edge, they would sometimes return to her, all at once it seemed. She has always strived for order in her world, and it wasn’t easy to face the chaos of past and present colliding. She was a new person, she knew that. Ever since she moved here, she felt washed of the speckles of old patterns. Still, the stories weren’t easy to shake off. And with reason. – she thought. They were returning, because they once meant so much to her. She sat with the feelings until she could feel a bridge forming between her past and her present.
Helsinki, Finland
Title:
I Will Try
Story & Message:
There was a cocktail of emotions mixing away in her body. At the forefront of it all there was excitement: she’s been wanting to get out of her comfort zone for a while now, but the fear of rejection was pulling her back. She’s been playing it safe, only walking the roads that were familiar. Despite the butterflies, she felt good about herself, like anything could happen and it wouldn’t tip her out of balance. As long she stayed true, she would be fine. So she decided to go with the flow, and see where it would take her.
Helsinki, Finland
2020
Factory
Big city life has its advantages: you don’t have to think much. Many things have been already decided and designed for you. Your routines, schedule, ways and means of communicating with peers, even your lunch time! Now, can you still be yourself while being on a factory treadmill? This is up to you, of course. This project is a playful look at how office life can be organized. No statements, only playful suggestions and pure irony.
2019
Title:
Business Lunch
Story & Message:
Coming soon
Title:
After Work
Story & Message:
Coming soon
Title:
Before Work
Story & Message:
Coming soon
Title:
Busy
Story & Message:
Coming soon
Title:
Heading Off For The Weekend
Story & Message:
Coming soon
Title:
I'm The Boss
Story & Message:
Coming soon
Title:
Office
Story & Message:
Coming soon
Title:
Team Work
Story & Message:
Coming soon
Circus of Objects
Are you a juggler, clown or perhaps a trapeze artist? All people play multiple roles in life. Those roles seem to be very important and we do our best to play them right. We juggle and balance between being a great professional, partner, parent, friend, trying to solve problems, predict the future and be on time everywhere. Often we get overwhelmed by trying to be the best at everything and feeling guilty for not achieving it everywhere. We get lost in worries and lose connection with the essential things in life. However, sometimes the solution is simple and it only takes a change of perspective. How often have you looked back at some difficult situation in your life and realized that it wasn’t worth all the worry? From a bigger perspective, all those mind-built problems are nothing but a bunch of tiny pins thrown on a table.
The project attempts to remind viewers that we are all performers in the circus of our own life. On another level, it shows that our brain builds meanings and perspectives can change easily. Ordinary everyday objects can become meaningful when placed next to another image. Are the popcorn boxes just boxes or do they become two boys? How do you see the pins after seeing the photo of the joggler or vice versa? The magic happens not only in the circus but in our minds. Every single day.
Helsinki, Finland
2019
Title:
Red Circles
Story & Message:
There is an endless abundance of opportunities in the universe. The main challenge is to see them.
2018
Title:
Pinned
Story & Message:
Coming soon
Title:
Pin
Story & Message:
Coming soon
Title:
Cornfield
Story & Message:
Coming soon
Title:
Popcorn
Story & Message:
Coming soon
Title:
Power Within
Story & Message:
Coming soon
Title:
Line
Story & Message:
Coming soon
Title:
Not In Line
Story & Message:
Coming soon
Title:
Stroke of White
Story & Message:
Coming soon
Title:
Sticky Dots
Story & Message:
Coming soon
Target
There are a million ways to look at something. And sometimes – the overthinkers that we might be – we can get stuck on one negative view of ourselves. This negative view most often derives from critical voices, which we have internalized.
Truth is, no one can decide who we are. If we distance ourselves from these negative voices, the space for a new perspective emerges. A perspective that allows us to look in the mirror with a fresh outlook, and which allows us to get to know ourselves again. This project captures the shifts in perspective, which reveal new aspects of our being.
Barcelona, Spain
2019
Title:
Going to Be
Story & Message:
Coming soon
Title:
Target
Story & Message:
Coming soon
Title:
Am I?
Story & Message:
Coming soon
Obsession
Our vivid imagination can be a tool for creating beautiful worlds, but it can also take us down the rabbit hole. We get stuck. We circle around an idea until it starts eating away at our emotions.
It’s a silly thing to depend on – a thought. It may not even be rooted in reality. To be stuck in one’s head is like a hamster wheel. We feel free once we step outside of it. But sometimes, it’s just hard to let go.
These photographs visualize obsession and the human body that slides down the rabbit hole.
Amsterdam, The Netherlands
2019
Title:
1
Story & Message:
Coming soon
Title:
2
Story & Message:
Coming soon
Title:
3
Story & Message:
Coming soon
Paint
We're a reflection of the environment we were developing in. Often the environment breaks us and changes our perception of the world to a negative one. However, we have the same ability to influence everything that surrounds us. The point is to reconnect with ourselves and to claim our power to change the world into a better place.
Helsinki, Finland
2019
Title:
Green Paint
Story & Message:
Coming soon
Title:
Blue Paint
Story & Message:
Coming soon
Title:
Red Paint
Story & Message:
Coming soon
Horns
Being different is a tricky thing to maneuver. But why hide our horns? They make us who we are, and show us the way. Uniqueness becomes a blessing the moment we accept it.
The unicorn life is full of fun – full of deeply felt feelings, crocodile tears, and hearty laughs. It’s a life that is worth embracing.
There are others like us, and our paths will cross – that is something we can always be sure of. This project exhibits the heartfelt moments of the unicorn life.
Helsinki, Finland
2019
Title:
We are in this together
Story & Message:
Perhaps being different is not an obstacle after all, but a gift one gives to the world - the gift of their unique vision. Unicorns can see things that others cannot. When they recognize this fact, they are cut loose of their inhibitions, and can run together freely in the wild. That is why all a unicorn needs is another unicorn. That’s why weirdness in one person looks for weirdness in others. A weirdness, uniqueness they can connect in.
Title:
I Know You
Story & Message:
On nights like these we feel that everything is okay - that we are okay. Everything we need is right there in front of us. Ears that understand every word we speak, someone who is picking up what we are putting down. And how liberating it is to be truly known. Our worries evaporate, as if they were just a figment of our imagination. Being wrapped up in the arms of the person that knows us and accepts us for the unicorn that we are - it’s all that we really need.
Title:
I Know Where To Go
Story & Message:
Coming soon
Heights & Stairs
We have something to say, something to show that we know is meaningful. But there’s no elevator to get up there. We have to take the stairs. With each step our view of the landscape is evolving.
It can sometimes feel like rolling a boulder up a hill. But it fills up our days with hope. The hope that what we have to say, and what we have to show will be heard.
It’s all part of the process, losing hope and regaining it, losing sight of the reason we do it all, only to see it appear with great clarity the next day. Height & Stairs explores notions of hope and meaning that drive us in our pursuit of fulfillment.
Paris, France
2019
Title:
Hope
Story & Message:
Hope isn’t just a pleasant feeling. Rather, it is empowering. It gives us confidence that if we try, we can succeed. Hope gives us the motivation to pursue possibilities and opportunities. Hope drives us to work hard and persist even in the face of obstacles, setbacks, and failure. Why? Because even during the darkest times, there is hope, but only if we feel it.
Title:
Meaning
Story & Message:
“He who has a why to live can bear almost any how”
― Friedrich Nietzsche
“In some ways, suffering ceases to be suffering at the moment, it finds a meaning, such as the meaning of a sacrifice.”
― Viktor E. Frankl, Man's Search for Meaning
What do YOU live for? The answer to this question might be the guiding light in all of your life situations, good and bad, easy and difficult. The truth is there's no meaning in life. Yet, a human being that finds a purpose for his or her presence on this planet is radically transformed and can overcome any obstacles.
Exclussively for Vision Gallery, Israel
Title:
Process
Story & Message:
As short as it seems, one human life is enough time for us to try different versions of ourselves. The process can begin from a change in small and meaningless habits. Re-creating our daily routine impacts the way we think and act when it’s time to make a big decision. The greatest challenge in a person’s life is to find out who they are, to discover their true identity and get the best of it. Being our best self possible is a gift to ourselves and the world around us.
Butterfly
Psychologists argue that a human being’s character and personality are largely the results of things that happened to him/her in the course of life. Some life situations leave a deep emotional impact on us, which stays with us for years and often goes into the subconscious. We take on an emotion, usually a negative one (fear, regret, anger), and carry it with us further, not even realizing that we have it. Yet, it does affect our behavior, perceptions, thoughts, views of the world, and even health. It’s never just one experience that influences us. It’s always the combination, the layers, which with time turn into so-called “emotional baggage” burdening us. At some point, this baggage can make us feel stuck completely when we feel depressed, enormously stressed, or deeply unhappy and not being able to understand why we think the way we think and why we do the way we do.
Psychologists say that if you have a memory that’s more than 18 months old and that causes an extreme emotional reaction in your mind, it means that this past event is holding you back from living your life fully. Often, getting back to those painful past events, digging them from your memory and experiencing them once again in your mind, accepting them, and transforming your initial emotional reaction to them is the only way to go on living. This project reflects the process of accumulating emotional baggage and getting rid of it in the end, becoming better and wiser. Cause there’s more to life than the past. Yet, a butterfly has to be a caterpillar first.
Helsinki, Finland
2019
Title:
Beginning
Story & Message:
Coming soon
Title:
Detail
Story & Message:
Coming soon
Title:
More
Story & Message:
Coming soon
Title:
Overwhelm
Story & Message:
Coming soon
Title:
Strong
Story & Message:
Coming soon
Imagine Music
What makes you change your mood in seconds? Not so many things in life have this power, but music does. Music creates an atmosphere. It has the power to deepen or even transform our visual experiences. It speaks directly to our emotions and can change them in seconds.
Music is even more powerful when we observe its effect on the imagination. Music builds imagination and creativity. When we see pictures - our imagination does not get stronger, however, when we close our eyes and hear a sound, our imagination can go wild and create all sorts of things.
This project is an attempt to imagine music in visuals, a take on what is going on in a musician’s and listener’s minds and souls while a melody is played and heard. Each image is inspired by a particular music piece and reflects the photographer’s emotions while listening to it.
Helsinki, Finland
2019
Title:
The Storm – Vivaldi
Story & Message
There is the calm before the storm, the purple haze of gloom beyond the horizon. And then, without warning, it attacks like a lion after its prey. Without warning, it swarms in like an army of locusts, devouring anything and everything in its wake.
But you see in the distance, amidst the relentless storm, a man as serene as the sea at dawn. He doesn’t quiver or shake when the storm hits, neither does he crumble in fear. He faces the storm head-on; no, in fact, he becomes one with it. He plays along with it as if he has complete mastery over it. No storm of anxiety or tempest of life can overcome him. As the terror consumes all that lies around him, he is left completely unscathed. The storm is no match for him, and he does not let himself be defeated by its brutality.
Title:
Valse sentimentale op 51 no 6. – Tchaikovsky
Story & Message:
She hides behind her music, behind the sound of the melody she plays. Louder, then softer, louder, then softer, playing out the scene of someone else's story, like a writer consumed in her own novel.
She tells a story of two lovers, two ill-fated lovers who dance through the heat of summer. But when winter comes, they drift apart, overcome by the secrets they bear. All the while, she hides behind her music, never revealing the face of the one who composed such a sorrowful ending.
Title:
Cello Suite No. 1 in G Major, Prélude – Bach
Story & Message:
"The spotlight descends on the stage, all eyes resting upon a porcelain woman laced in blue royalty. Confined though she may seem, and as still as a painted cherub, her eyes tell the story of avant-garde balls, of masquerades, of bright lights, of rendezvous backstage.
And then, all at once, she raises her arm. The orchestra falls into silence, and she begins her story. Without words, only strings, does she speak. A tale so scandalous, so enchanting, and so enticing that the audience falls into a trance, captivated by the story she unravels."
Exclusively for TiNT Gallery
Title:
Canon In D Major – Pachelbel
Story & Message:
"She wakes with the morning, her eyes glacially opening as the light seeps through the curtains. And as the breeze flows softly through the windows of a rose-hazed room, she gracefully ascends, the softness of the satin sheets falling against her skin.
It’s a quiet morning; only the sound of birds and the gentle whisper of the air surround her as she paces up to the windowpane, ready to embrace a brand-new day—a brand-new start to life."
Title:
Waltz of the Flowers – The Nutcracker – Tchaikovsky
Story & Message:
Beaming with anticipation, she waits backstage, pacing back and forth behind the flutter of the curtain. Like an array of flowers on a field of green are the dancers that circle the stage, their stems long and luxurious, their petals gleaming in the sun. And she watches them patter softly from one side to the other, their arms gliding in unison. Behind the stage, she awaits her turn, a fluttering of emotions gripping her every thought. Flickers of excitement, of nervousness, of restlessness course through her as she grasps her violin. Unlike the flowers, she will waltz out on stage alone, with just the sound of her strings and the sigh of her heart to calm her.
Exclusively for TiNT Gallery
Title:
Pas De Deux – The Nutcracker – Tchaikovsky
Story & Message:
"There’s a bright future ahead of me - one of fame, of beauty, one that I have always dreamed of. I can see it with my eyes closed, and my heart soars towards it like a bull charging headfirst into its fate.
Sometimes the prospect of bright lights can blind you, leading you onto a path of crashing symbols that twist and turn right at the last moment. May it end with bright lights for you, and may your future on the stage be as dazzling and as promising as you imagine it to be."
Exclusively for TiNT Gallery
Title:
Blue – Jimmy Sax – Worakls
Story & Message:
"To be alone, in a quiet space, is all she wants. Somewhere high up, somewhere unseen so she can let go of the anguish that has been weighing her down. She’s usually the heart and soul of the party, the life and energy of her circle.
But today, she seeks solace in the walls of her mind, away from the chaos. Away from the traffic of life. Though she plays a sad tune, there’s a beauty to the notes she chooses; a delicate balance of joy and sorrow that embodies the realities of life. And once she finishes, once she releases her heart, she can - and she will - smile again."
Title:
Arrival of The Birds & Transformation – The Cinematic Orchestra
Story & Message:
"With her heart in her throat, she runs with the crashing waves beside her, the dark clouds cascading upon her skin as her bare feet barely meet the sand. Does she run away from a past of heartbreak? Is it the depths of her unimaginable nightmares that break away from her skin as she runs with the wind?
Unsure of what pains her and unaware of the darkness that unravels behind her, she tumbles forward into the life she so desperately craves. A life full of clear skies, bright rays of sunlight, and a calmness of heart. She runs toward it, almost embracing it, as her unbearable past is left behind."
Title:
Sinfonia in C Major, RV 112: I. Allegro – Vivaldi
Story & Message:
With my goal in sight, I will trace down every path, every avenue, in order to attain it. I will try every palate, every dance, every song to enjoy each moment to the fullest. I will sing along to every tune until I find my own. I will dance to the beat of every drum until my feet tire. Because life is fleeting and light, we should make the most of the sounds and the music surrounding us.
Title:
Vocalise For Violin – Rachmaninoff
Story & Message:
"Let me hear your innermost thoughts, let me hear the words of your heart and the sound from within. Why do you stop yourself from speaking? Why hold back the words that are on your tongue?”
With just her eyes, she replies, “There are few words that can dispel the many thoughts that run through me. There are few words, yes, that can retell my story like the strings of this violin. Listen to its story, and you will hear my voice through the melody it sings."
Exclusively for TiNT Gallery
Title:
The Four Seasons – Vivaldi
Story & Message:
Like the changes of the seasons, we grow and adjust to the seasons of life. We experience moments of joy and bright prospects. We experience trials and challenges that storm in like the heat of a blazing summer. These shifts of motion can come upon us all at once. Or they gradually weave their way in and stay there for longer than we anticipated – as long and as stubborn as a wet and cold winter. Whatever the changes may be, and no matter the tests we face, changes come and go like the tide of the sea, unable to have any lasting hold on us.
Exclusively for TiNT Gallery
Title:
The Heart Asks Pleasure First – Nyman
Story & Message:
“I imagine things I’m powerless to execute.”
– Jane Eyre
We were never granted perfection, yet she violently graves it, gasping for moments of transcendence. She cannot compose the wonders she has in her head and the notes that keep her awake at night. For she longs for something out of her grasp, a song only attainable in one’s imagination. Only accessible in the deepest, darkest corners of her mind.
Paper Cuts
Every story is made up. All the stories that we hear about the world, the way things work in it and what our place in it is have been made up for us by our parents, school, society. However, when we realize that everything has been made up, now it’s our turn to tell ourselves a new story. And this story can be anything we ever wanted it to be. It won’t be easy. But it’s possible to forget all the stories that were bringing us down, and create our own, the one that will empower us - from scratch. But to do that, we need to cut the old stories first.
Helsinki - Amsterdam - Hamburg
2018 - 2019
Title:
Blue
Story & Message:
People have always expressed their opinion on certain matters. Sometimes these matters might be other people. The human brain is a complicated mechanism, but one of the things we know about it is that it can be easily influenced by outer sources. Sources like words or actions of others for instance. Blue is sometimes viewed as the color of wisdom. The artwork invites you to make a wise decision to stop caring about what the others say or do and to cut the made-up character they gave you, letting your true self show up and live.
Helsinki, Finland
2018
Title:
Green
Story & Message:
Green evokes sentiments of hope and renewal, orienting our gaze towards better days. There may come a time when we realize that we have been carrying layers that aren’t ours. These useless veils cover our faces, and stand in the way of our vision. They filter our perceptions in harmful ways. Once we realize that all this time we’ve been blinded by a fabricated reality, we’re ready to cut through, and start our exciting growth towards balance. After all, these fabricated realities are paper thin – it only takes a cut to get to the other side.
Helsinki, Finland
2018
Title:
Yellow
Story & Message:
The color of life and transformation. This is the transition phase: she knows that she doesn't want to go back to the past, but is unsure of what the future holds. We all have periods of rumination over some changes that we when through in life: "was it the right thing to do? what if I destroyed my life by doing that?". The truth however is that we have pieces that we can't put back into a single sheet anymore, but we can glue something new and absolutely amazing from of them.
Helsinki, Finland
2018
Title:
Red
Story & Message:
Rage. Anger. Warmth. Love. All those opposing things can be come as red in our minds. And sometimes they are like two sides of one coin. Maybe now is the time to revaluate the way you looked at past events from your life. Calm down the rage and anger and bring love and warmth to the light. In the end we can only grow after we let go and see that the very things that were hurting us were actually the ones that made us evolve
Title:
Black
Story & Message:
Black is the absence of color. When we are facing loss, our whole body aches. But pain can trigger an interesting process: the building of layers of comprehension that there’s more to life than our previous experiences. This profound understanding, when we welcome it, helps us remain calm and still. And weather any new storm coming our way. The challenges we are facing don’t disorientate us the same way anymore – we already know we will be fine. We’re able to cut through obstacles with elegance and sophistication.
Helsinki, Finland
2018
Title:
White
Story & Message:
White is the color of peace and innocence. At a certain point, we have all lost our childlike attitude towards the world. Our soul – marked by all the times we have been let down – has retreated into a bird cage. But it’s possible to cleanse ourselves from old experiences, which have entrapped our wings for so many years. When we let go, we release our wings, and we regain our peace of mind. Our wings may need a bit of a warm-up after all those years, but the flight will make it worth our while.
Helsinki, Finland
2018
Title:
Grey
Story & Message:
Grey speaks of dedication as it does of maturity – both significant aspects of relationships. Our dedication to another human being can be the source of immense joy. It can be all the more painful to wake up to the fact that the bond that was once glowing with vibrant colors has now started to fade to grey. Memories may remain of the euphoria of the old days, but these memories can lead us down a rabbit hole. It’s shattering to recognize that we have lost ourselves in the other person, and it takes maturity to cut ourselves loose from them.
Helsinki, Finland
2018
Title:
Orange
Story & Message:
Orange radiates positivity, energy and youth. Youth is not about age – it’s a quality residing within us all. It’s a personality trait. We find it when we open ourselves up to all the invigorating possibilities around us. Old narratives we have been told can make us short sighted. They can blind us from all the beauty that lies beyond our futile drive to please and impress others. Trusting ourselves can lead us back to our youth. Cutting the veil can release all that beautiful energy entrapped in our bodies.
Helsinki, Finland
2018
Pattern Recognition
Without our ability to recognize patterns, there would be no progress. Over the history of mankind, pattern recognition fueled great inventions. Flight wouldn’t be possible if we hadn’t been able to recognize the attributes that allow birds to fly. Our creations stem from our ability to make connections between phenomena.
Emotional maturity as well, develops when we recognize unhealthy patterns that we have inherited from our ancestors. These patterns cause us pain, and when we recognize them we can break the cycle.
Recognizing healthy or unhealthy patterns is crucial for creativity. It harvests the ability to visualize truths that the naked eye is unable to grasp. This project explores the relationship between pattern recognition and personal growth.
Barcelona, Spain
2019
Title:
Rule of Thirds
Story & Message:
The human mind likes order. It naturally seeks out patterns and quickly detects their presence on an involuntary, subconscious level. Then it feels in control. Calm and powerful. Some patterns are not obvious and won't be recognized by everyone, but those who find them see the most chaotic situations in a new light.
Title:
Float
Story & Message:
We start to float when there’s air forming inside of us. This is science – when unnecessary clutter is removed, fresh air starts moving through us. Heavy thoughts don’t weigh us down anymore – we have thrown them overboard. And now there’s only the slow hovering above the ground, the light sensation of relief. We’re not even touching the earth, there’s nothing to pull us down – the weight of old patterns has evaporated. We can relax in the light cushions of a clean mind and clean air.
Exclussively for Vision Gallery, Israel
Title:
Growth
Story & Message:
Patterns shape the way we respond to given situations. They frame our reactions to the challenges we are faced with. An awareness of these patterns can help us tweak them in the right direction. Once we get into the tweaking, the person that is truly us starts to emerge. She starts out as a beautiful tiny bird flapping its wings, free from the rigidity of the old. And as she makes room for herself, she gets bigger and bigger.
Title:
You and Me
Story & Message:
Coming soon
Emojis
Emojis that we use every day are not labeled, so their meaning is always up to those who use them. You and the person next to you can interpret each sign differently. It's a matter of perception and cultural background of course.
Originally meaning pictograph, the word emoji comes from Japanese e (絵, "picture") + moji (文字, "character"); the resemblance to the English word emotion is purely coincidental.
Helsinki, Finland
2019
Title:
Peace
Story & Message:
Coming soon
Title:
Bored
Story & Message:
Coming soon
Title:
Relax
Story & Message:
Coming soon
Title:
Wonder
Story & Message:
Coming soon
Title:
Tune In
Story & Message:
Coming soon
Title:
Shifting Gear
Story & Message:
Coming soon
Title:
Low
Story & Message:
Coming soon
Lost And Found
Finding your place in life is never easy. There are so many ways to choose from. Should you be normal and simply fit in? Or should you search for your own path, no matter how hard and bumpy it might be? This is the story about growing up and searching for a home. A story about choosing between simply following directions and doing your own thing. A story about sisterhood and supporting each other along the journey.
St. Petersburg, Russia
2018
Title:
We See You
Story & Message:
Finding your place in life is never easy. There are so many paths to choose from. Should you be normal and simply fit in? Or should you discover your own path, no matter how hard and bumpy the road might be? ‘We See You’ strives to tell the story about growing up and searching for a home. A story about choosing between simply following directions and doing your own thing. A story about sisterhood and support along the journey. How there is always someone who really sees you.
Title:
Home
Story & Message:
Coming soon
Title:
I Know
Story & Message:
Coming soon
Title:
Looking Forward
Story & Message:
Coming soon
Title:
Away We Go
Story & Message:
Coming soon
Title:
Scarlet Caravan
Story & Message:
Coming soon
Title:
Scarlet Sails
Story & Message:
Coming soon
Title:
What's Inside
Story & Message:
Coming soon
Title:
Nomads
Story & Message:
Coming soon
Title:
I'll Be Here Always
Story & Message:
Coming soon
Title:
Fun Ride
Story & Message:
Coming soon
Title:
Horizon
Story & Message:
Coming soon
Title:
The Sun Is Coming
Story & Message:
Coming soon
Title:
Wide Asleep
Story & Message:
Coming soon
Title:
We Will Catch You
Story & Message:
Coming soon
Title:
Family Bonds
Story & Message:
Coming soon
Me and Myself
All of us experience an inner dialogue. We have a mental image of ourselves that we are talking to almost every moment of our life and about anything: hopes, troubles, Sunday shopping, memories from the past, what the person standing next to us thinks about us. Every person’s identity is split into two parts “me” and “myself”. The project is exploring the interactions of these two different sides of the same person and the idea of the duality of a human mind and self-discovery.
These parts don’t represent “good” and “evil” in the general sense of those words. Often, one of these parts is our inner critic, the punisher, the one that comes up with all the fears, excuses, and negative thoughts. This “me” can make us fail at anything since this voice will never be happy, it thrives on suffering, recreating it in our heads over and over again, often without any connection to a real-life situation we are in. It’s the job of the other part, “myself”, to recognize the negative delusion and turn it into healthy positive thoughts thus bringing peace to our minds.
Helsinki - Tallinn - Hamburg
2016-2018
Title:
Together
Story & Message:
Our inner worlds are made up of complex mechanisms. There are parts of ourselves that may act differently, but they still complement each other. At times, we may be surprised by how much we crave to be alone for a bit. Or the opposite – we may suddenly want to hang out with a lot of people, when that was never really our thing. There’s nothing to be afraid of – the two sides are working together in unison, alternating like seasons. It’s all the same train going through different stations on its beautiful route.
Helsinki, Finland
2016
Title:
One
Story & Message:
Yin and Yang are not opposites, but can be imagined as two sides of the same hill. When one side of the hill is lit by the sun, the other side lies in shadow. But as the sun moves around the hill the landscape shifts. Our personalities function the same way. A certain period of our life, or a certain somebody, might shed light on a side of us that was in the shadow before. At such times we might leave the other side of us behind. But these sides are not opposites, they are the two sides of the same hill.
Helsinki, Finland
2018
Title:
Whisper
Story & Message:
It’s only natural to get tipped out of balance by a faint whisper we hear deep inside of us. That whisper is also part of us, and there’s a reason it wants our attention. It may be tempting us to do something wild, or it may be bringing something up from our past. Either way, it’s difficult to know which voice to listen to and which voice to ignore. All that we can do is go with the voice that sounds the most like us, the voice that amplifies our intuition.
Helsinki, Finland
2017
Title:
Eyes Closed
Story & Message:
Trusting ourselves, trusting all of our inner parts that what we want is the right thing – it may not always come to us naturally. When we trust, we do so without knowing the outcome. Still, we tell ourselves that it’s going to be fine, that we will be fine no matter what. To be able to embrace the unknown with eyes closed shows that one is at harmony with oneself. When there’s trust, the urge to question each one of our moves evaporates, and we can sail freely, in harmony with our emotions.
Helsinki, Finland
2017
Title:
Parts
Story & Message:
Within us there are two entities. The silent observer is looking closely at things without speaking a word. The talker is spitting out judgments on autopilot without thinking. Both of them are part of us, and have their functions. We need to pay close attention to make good judgments. But looking at things too closely can sometimes keep us from taking action. We function well when the two parts – the observer and the talker – are harmonized. This way, we can think before we speak, and speak without overthinking.
Hamburg, Germany
2017
Title:
I Found You
Story & Message:
All of us experience an inner dialogue. We have a mental image of ourselves that we are talking to almost every moment of our life and about anything: hopes, troubles, Sunday shopping, memories from the past, what the person standing next to us thinks about us. Every person’s identity is split into two parts “me” and “myself”. The project is exploring the interactions of these two different sides of the same person and idea of the duality of a human mind and self-discovery.
These parts don’t represent “good” and “evil” in general sense of those words. Often, one of these parts is our inner critic, the punisher, the one that comes up with all the fears, excuses and negative thoughts. This “me” can make us fail at anything since this voice will never be happy, it thrives on suffering, recreating it in our heads over and over again, often without any connection to a real-life situation we are in. It’s the job of the other part, “myself”, to recognize the negative delusion and turn it into healthy positive thoughts thus bringing peace to our minds.
Helsinki, Finland
2017
Title:
Me and Myself
Story & Message:
At the heart of Taoist philosophy lies the oneness in duality. Warm & cold or light & shadow depend on each other, and do not make sense on their own – they are one. There may be a part of us that seeks peace, and another part that is adventurous. These two coexist like day and night. When we’ve been peaceful for long enough, it’s only natural that we want to go on a little adventure. When we’ve been out and about we soon start seeking peace. This is our inner dance – the harmony between two longings that exist side by side.
Tallinn, Estonia
2017
Title:
You VS You
Story & Message:
All of us experience an inner dialogue. We have a mental image of ourselves that we are talking to almost every moment of our life and about anything: hopes, troubles, Sunday shopping, memories from the past, what the person standing next to us thinks about us. Every person’s identity is split into two parts “me” and “myself”. The project is exploring the interactions of these two different sides of the same person and idea of the duality of a human mind and self-discovery.
These parts don’t represent “good” and “evil” in general sense of those words. Often, one of these parts is our inner critic, the punisher, the one that comes up with all the fears, excuses and negative thoughts. This “me” can make us fail at anything since this voice will never be happy, it thrives on suffering, recreating it in our heads over and over again, often without any connection to a real-life situation we are in. It’s the job of the other part, “myself”, to recognize the negative delusion and turn it into healthy positive thoughts thus bringing peace to our minds.
Helsinki, Finland
2017
Title:
Oneness of Duality
Story & Message:
Coming soon
Who are you?
The project is inspired by the idea of dæmons, introduced in Philipp Pullman's trilogy His Dark Materials. Dæmons are the external physical manifestation of a person's 'inner-self' that takes the form of an animal. In Pulmann’s book, during adolescence a person's dæmon undergoes "settling", an event in which that person's dæmon permanently and involuntarily assumes the form of the animal which the person most resembles in character. In plain words, a dæmon is a part of you, your soul, which follows you everywhere in a physical form of an animal and other people can see it and immediately recognize what kind of a person you really are and what personality traits you have.
The project is a collaboration with two illustrators, who draw “imaginary” dæmons for my “real life” characters. The works included in the project attempt to show the half real, half-imaginary world, where the main character, though split in two is always interacting with it’s “inner-self”, establishing the connection and attempting to be in harmony with it as if they were one.
Helsinki, Finland
2017-2018
Title:
One My Shoulder
Story & Message:
Coming soon
Title:
Dance with the Foxes
Story & Message:
Coming soon
Title:
Connection
Story & Message:
Coming soon
Title:
Swim with the Fish
Story & Message:
Coming soon
Escapes
Escapism - the tendency to seek distraction and relief from unpleasant realities, especially by seeking entertainment or engaging in fantasy. The word "escapism" often carries a negative connotation, suggesting that escapists are unhappy, with an inability or unwillingness to connect with the real world and to take necessary action. However, recent psychological studies show that often escapism becomes "self-expansion”, meaning that diving deeply into an activity or creating a fantasy can be a way of exploring oneself and finding inner peace.
The series shows young women, whose fantasies and passions spilled into the real world. It’s a speculation on how one can find comfort and confidence in doing something he/she loves.
St. Petersburg - Zurich - Tallinn - Belchatow - Helsinki
2012 - 2018
Title:
Fiction
Story & Message:
“There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you.”
― Maya Angelou, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings
St. Petersburg, Russia
2013
Exclusively for Motel Collection London until Sep 2022
Title:
Teatime
Story & Message:
"Alice: How long is forever?
White Rabbit: Sometimes, just one second.”
― Lewis Carroll, Alice in Wonderland
St. Petersburg, Russia
2012
Title:
Drift
Story & Message:
No matter what happens human beings see the world as they see it, not the way it actually is. You are a flow, you constantly change, if you are alive there are bits and pieces of you that transform all the time without you being conscious of it: you pump up blood around your body, grow hair, get older... It means that your views of the world can also be changed. You don't have to be stuck in one single life situation, value system, set of personality traits. We are all in a drift and remembering that can be incredibly liberating and calming.
St. Petersburg, Russia
2016
Exclusively for Motel Collection London until Sep 2022
Title:
Soap
Story & Message:
Whatever is happening to you right now will pass. All of the big joys. fears, hopes and tragedies will eventually fade away in your memory and will pop, like soap bubbles. But there’s nothing to be sad about. That’s the beauty of life.
Zurich, Switzerland
Title:
Black Cube
Story & Message:
Inspired by the state of overwhelm, that many of us get into from time to time. The state of being helplessly buried in thoughts and emotions and not knowing how to go on. However, if instead of being scared of those thoughts and emotions, instead of wanting to get rid of them and run away, we can accept them, maybe even welcome them and then let them go, let them pass through, the overwhelm will dissolve gradually by itself.
Tallinn, Estonia
2018
Title:
Feast for One
Story & Message:
Inspired by the scene of the Mad Hatter's tea party from "Alice in Wonderland", this image is inviting the viewers to see that they're always multiple perspectives that we can see any life situation from. It's a reminder, that you can change viewpoints sort of like characters in the famous book switched places and understand if you can relate to it or not if you can learn from it or discard it as irrelevant. But the main point is that you don't have to stick to only one perspective, which in many situations is liberating.
Helsinki, Finland
2016
Title:
Pages
Story & Message:
“There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you.”
― Maya Angelou, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings
Helsinki, Finland
Title:
Song of the Earth
Story & Message:
There’s one relationship in your life — in everyone’s life — that has been kept a secret. You don’t know when it began, and yet you depend upon it for everything. If this relationship ever ended, the world would disappear in a puff of smoke. This is your relationship to reality.
Belchatow, Poland
2016
Exclusively for Motel Collection London until Sep 2022
Title:
Mind Travels
Story & Message:
Do you really have to travel the world to really know it? Do you have to actually experience everything to decide if you like it or not? Somewhere in our past, we were told it’s bad to daydream, because it meant doing nothing — staring out the window — instead of doing what we’re supposed to be doing. Yet, when you set your mind free and allow it to travel, to go in any possible direction, break the usual thought patterns and imagine something completely unexpected, explore all the possible and impossible scenarios, magic happens. You get new ideas and perspectives. And you get to know yourself better.
Moscow, Russia
2017
Title:
The Greenhouse Story
Story & Message:
Anne entered the room and immediately felt it. The fresh scent of all the flowers and plants in the greenhouse. She found it so fascinating that she decided to make the moment a little longer. With the watering can in her hand, she gently leaned on her right shoulder against the door frame. And then it hit her - that was not just any flower aroma, that was the smell of her freedom. The greenhouse was the place where Anne could take a little rest from the world, all its problems, all the obligations, all the stress. While taking care of the plants inside, she felt like she was taking care of herself as well. And there the girl stood, for another minute or two, at the doorway, the entrance to her safe place.
Moscow, Russia
Title:
Falling
Story & Message:
Coming soon
Belchatow, Poland
2016
Title:
Lemon Tea
Story & Message:
The best thing when you feel overwhelmed with troubles is to sit down, take a deep and relax. And understand that you are ok at this very moment. Here and now.
Inspired by the radiance and brightness of the yellow color that continues to be warm even when it's cold outside.
Exclusively for Motel Collection London until Sep 2022
Title:
Petals of Grey
Story & Message:
The morning was her favourite part of the day. Having a cup of coffee while listening to all the birds outside singing their wake-up song, calmly taking deep breaths to feel the fresh start offered by the rising sun. It was all magical to her. It was priceless. Charlotte was always in a good mood in the morning. Her mind was truly blooming at this time. Before she started doing anything else, she appreciated the peace. Before she explores the outside world, she’d explore the world in her head. Dreams, ideas, memories - all the petals of her mind’s bloom.
Title:
Weathermaker
Story & Message:
It suddenly occurred to her, that she was the one who could create the weather. All by herself. If she wanted to cry, there was rain, if she wanted to smile, there were sunbeams, when she wanted peace - she would put on clouds, they always brought comfort. She was the Weathermaker, in control of her own state and the weather in her mind.
This image was shot in Kolomenskoye - one of the biggest and most beautiful parks of Moscow, Russia with the help of a dear friend and a talented decorator Tinha Habarova.
Exclusively for Motel Collection London until Sep 2022
Title:
Stories
Story & Message:
Stories is how we learn, how we pass our knowledge and how we imagine the future. They motivate us, comfort us, provide examples for how to deal with difficult life situations. They evoke emotions that we sometimes didn’t even remember we had. They are in the very core of human existence, they are built in the structure of our brains and… they are a perfect escape, if you need one. And sometimes you really do. And that’s ok.
Life in Bloom
Whenever you feel lost or disconnected from the world when it gets tough navigating all of the changes in your life, a single green leaf can help you to get back home and grounded again. Plants can be a powerful form of healing for uncertain times. Their roots mean they are quite literally ‘grounded’ into the earth, and turning them to medicine puts us in touch with systems far outside ourselves. Plants remind us we are always part of something bigger and that we are not alone.
This collection is made up of works created in collaboration with several talented florists: Tina Habarova, Saija Sitolahti, and Elina Bostrom.
Moscow - Helsinki
2015-2018
Title:
Greens
Story & Message:
The call of nature is like a call of a mother to her child. Mother Nature nurtures us with its healing herbs and breathtaking views. Whenever we answer her call, we are reminded that we are part of a beautiful ecosystem. The scent of a blooming eucalyptus tree has the power to take us back to our true selves. After all, we ourselves are organisms that need water and sun to grow. Our calling is to grow in harmony with the plants and trees that surround us.
Helsinki, Finland
2018
Title:
Green Pattern
Story & Message:
Coming soon
Helsinki, Finland
2018
Title:
Flower Doors
Story & Message:
The grass caressed her feet until she could barely remember what bothered her in the first place. She knew it had something to do with the chitter-chatter of the village girls that seemed to gossip about her endlessly. It was no wonder they did – they simply couldn’t stand her for being so different, so unlike them. She stood still in the field, and let the white flowers drop gently on her head and shoulders, until they formed a giant umbrella. She felt protected from all the people that caused her agony. Her anger bloomed into acceptance, her sorrow into calm.
Helsinki, Finland
2018
Title:
Green Tea
Story & Message:
Emily called her sister for the second time. She didn't reply. Gretta was sitting there as if she heard nothing. She was enchanted by the flowers. Enchanted by life.
Helsinki, Finland
2018
Title:
Petals
Story & Message:
The morning was her favourite part of the day. Having a cup of coffee while listening to all the birds outside singing their wake-up song, calmly taking deep breaths to feel the fresh start offered by the rising sun. It was all magical to her. It was priceless. Charlotte was always in a good mood in the morning. Her mind was truly blooming at this time. Before she started doing anything else, she appreciated the peace. Before she explores the outside world, she’d explore the world in her head. Dreams, ideas, memories - all the petals of her mind’s bloom.
Moscow, Russia
2017
Title:
Greenhouse
Story & Message:
Anne entered the room and immediately felt it. The fresh scent of all the flowers and plants in the greenhouse. She found it so fascinating that she decided to make the moment a little longer. With the watering can in her hand, she gently leaned on her right shoulder against the door frame. And then it hit her - that was not just any flower aroma, that was the smell of her freedom. The greenhouse was the place where Anne could take a little rest from the world, all its problems, all the obligations, all the stress. While taking care of the plants inside, she felt like she was taking care of herself as well. And there the girl stood, for another minute or two, at the doorway, the entrance to her safe place.
Moscow, Russia
2015
Title:
White Flowers
Story & Message:
Coming soon
Helsinki, Finland
2018
Title:
Dandelion
Story & Message:
Coming soon
Moscow, Russia
2018
Title:
Summer Sun
Story & Message:
Coming soon
Two
The series explores different stages of a relationship between people within a couple in a metaphorical way. Hopes, dreams, happiness and difficulties, emotional connection and misunderstandings. It’s never black or white. It’s both at the same time. Relationships are never perfect, and very possibly there’s no “happily ever after”. There’s always something that will add bitter notes to the overall sweetness or vice-a-versa.
St. Petersburg - Moscow - Helsinki
2014-2017
Title:
On the Rock
Story & Message:
Coming soon
Title:
Ducks
Story & Message:
Coming soon
Title:
Wings for Two
Story & Message:
Coming soon
Title:
Love in the Clouds
Story & Message:
Eventually, all of us grow old. We gradually lose our sense of taste, scent, hearing, etc. However, at the end of the day, it’s all about what we gain along the way. It’s all about the treasured memories that sometimes come to our minds and make us smile. It’s all about the good and faithful friends that help us get through hard times, as well as make the sunny days even easier to enjoy. And last but not least our partner in life, if we're lucky to have one. True love is far from the romantic feeling everyone talks about and is searching for. It is completely different. But it is the feeling that makes the Earth go around, it’s the magic that gives our otherwise boring world its color and meaning. Growing old is fate, it’s inescapable, but growing old with the one you truly love is not, it’s rather a gift.
St. Petersburg, Russia
2014
Stuffed Animals
Early on in our lives stuffed animals play a key role in our emotional development. When we were children, they were our loyal companions who never betrayed us. When it was comforting we needed, they were there for us, and accepted every emotion that we threw at them. They listened to our secrets, and never told anyone.
As adults, we may crave a similar kind of love – a love that is unconditional. But the more we grow, the more difficult it is to get it from the outside.
Sometimes, we have to be our own stuffed animals, and accept ourselves the way we are. When we do, life is nothing short of magic. These pieces grasp the magical encounters with our [imaginary] stuffed animals.
Moscow - St. Petersburg - Helsinki
2015-2017
Title:
By the Water
Story & Message:
She found the wounded swallow by the water, as it was trying to flap its wings back to life. Deep down she knew, the two of them were the same – flightless on a land that was not their home. The bird was shivering, and the girl breathed warm air into its lungs. It was no accident that two of them had met – she thought – it couldn’t have been. Hope filled her for the first time in a long while. The horizon was calling for them, and it was only a matter of days before they could answer its call.
Moscow, Russia
Title:
Care
Story & Message:
Coming soon
Title:
Fishing
Story & Message:
She would sit there for hours with the line cast far into the lake. ‘You don’t know anything about fishing.’ - people would say. ‘What are you fishing for? Compliments?’- some would ask, trying to be funny. Truth is, she just liked the calm of the lake, the abundant greenery, the lively fish jumping out of the water. Most of the time, she would even forget she was fishing. When she caught the big one no one could believe it. They have tried and tried for years, without any luck. This is how it is in life sometimes: things come to us, when we are not trying but simply enjoy the process.
Helsinki, Finland
2016
Title:
Welcome
Story & Message:
Coming soon
Title:
Let It Go
Story & Message:
Let them go.
Sometimes,
the best thing you can do
for someone you love
is to let them go.
Set them free.
Wish them happiness and
set them free.
Set yourself free.
- Najawa Zebian
The symbolic nature of fish is as inseparable from that of water as the two are connected in life. In psychology, water symbolizes the depths of the unconscious, and fish are the "live material from the depths of the personality, relating to fertility and the life-giving powers of the maternal realms within us" (Biederman, 131). Fish can also represent the evolution of the soul.
Title:
Comfort
Story & Message:
Coming soon
Nature Blues
Collection
Exclussively for Vision Gallery, Israel
Title:
Head in the Clouds
Story & Message:
“The more clearly we can focus our attention on the wonders and realities of the universe about us, the less taste we shall have for destruction.”
― Rachel Carson
Helsinki, Finland
2020
Title:
Water Wall
Story & Message:
Coming soon
Amsterdam,
2019
Title:
Shaul
Story & Message:
Coming soon
Helsinki,
2017
Title:
Nordic Pearl
Story & Message:
Coming soon
Helsinki,
2017
Title:
It's Only Mine
Story & Message:
It is still. A rare moment when there's almost no movement on the surface of the sea. It's a perfect time now. She knew it. No bad signs, nothing to fear. Yet, something was holding her back. Tightly, firmly, and invisibly. It's hard to let go. But you must. There's no other way.
Helsinki,
2017
Title:
Connection
Story & Message:
She never felt lonely from that very moment. She knew that she was a part of something bigger and brighter. Something that will never stop amazing her, nourishing her and protecting her in a way, but also challenging her at times. It was both scary and exciting.
The photograph was taken in Tallinn, Estonia.
In a magical place, a roofless church.
The message behind this work is that even in the coldest of times there's always a glimpse of new fresh beginnings.
Tallinn, Estonia
Title:
Flags
Story & Message:
Coming soon
Helsinki,
2017
Title:
Into the Storm
Story & Message:
Yes, it's scary. Always scary. Because you never know what's in front of you. Yes, it might be challenging, but it might be bright too. Yet, usually, we tend to draw a drastic picture of what awaits us in the future. This is how our minds work. The key is to take the step anyway.
To conquer the scared thoughts and turn the unknown dark cloud in front of us into a light one.
Helsinki, Finland
2021
Title:
I Know It’s Coming
Story & Message:
The Sun was hiding behind thick clouds when she walked to the shore. She could almost taste the salty air, as the wind was blowing through her. There was great agitation in the harbor – everybody wanted to leave as soon as possible. She saw people rushing to their boats carrying their belongings, while she was standing still. Something told her to wait. As soon as the boats set out on open water, lightning split through the air followed by a crash of thunder. The boats turned around at once. She knew there was no point in rushing – she would get there when it was time.
Amsterdam,
2019
Multiples
Collection
Title:
New Stories
Story & Message:
Coming soon
Title:
My Way
Story & Message:
All of us are the same, and yet each and every one of us is unique. Sometimes you have to go against the current if you want to stay true to yourself.
Helsinki, Finland
2019
Title:
Dresses
Story & Message:
All of us are the same, and yet each and every one of us is unique.
St. Petersburg, Russia
2017
Winter
No Project
Title:
Skating
Story & Message:
Coming soon
Title:
Leaving
Story & Message:
Coming soon
Title:
Spinning
Story & Message:
Coming soon
Title:
Old Story
Story & Message:
Coming soon
Title:
Melt
Story & Message:
Coming soon
Title:
Reed
Story & Message:
Coming soon
Title:
Youth
Story & Message:
Coming soon
Black and White
No Project
Title:
Black and White
Story & Message:
Coming soon
Title:
Mirror
Story & Message:
Look into the mirror and say who you really are. This could be one of the toughest tasks for many people. The question "who am I?" is a deeply philosophical one and will be answered differently in different periods of your life. What's your answer today?
Helsinki, Finland
2016
Title:
Garland
Story & Message:
Coming soon
Title:
Emergence
Story & Message:
You will never be able to see the light without the darkness.
Helsinki, Finland
2021
Title:
Black Pearl
Story & Message:
Everything is interconnected. We are part of this world, even though sometimes it doesn't feel like we are.
Helsinki, Finland
2019
Title:
Feathers
Story & Message:
High-quality Epson foam board print on a Fuji Crystal Archive Silk paper with amazing color fidelity and scratch resistance. Thick, yet lightweight, the print is ready to be hanged on the wall.
Title:
Polka Dot
Story & Message:
Infinity represents something that is boundless or endless, or else something that is larger than any real or natural number. What if you multiply infinity by its reflection, add the white to the black? It gets even more entertaining then.
This artwork was created in a collaboration with another photographer and self-portrait artist, known as Kutovakika.
2018
Exclusively for Motel Collection London until Sep 2022
Title:
Rain
Story & Message:
We’re a product of our environments and cultures. Yes, we suck in all the mental structures, rules and beliefs from people and society around us. Yet, we’re not one with them. We always have the power to part our ways with what was imprinted in us or decide to embrace it. It’s wise to do both simultaneously.
Helsinki, Finland
Shapes
No Project
Title:
New World
Story & Message:
There was barely any movement in the building. She could only hear the humming of the air conditioner blowing gusts of cool air into the empty hallway. You couldn’t tell that it was a hot summer day, the air so pleasant. Everything felt right – she wasn’t stressing one bit. She was prepared for the challenges that lay ahead. It was the start of the journey she’s been dreaming of for years. A new world lay behind the door, one that she knew she would fit into perfectly. She stopped for a moment before entering to take it all in.
St. Petersburg, Russia
2019
Title:
Home
Story & Message:
It was the spot in the city that felt most like home. The perfect circle of the window made her feel protected. It always managed to induce a sense of wholeness. In the red brick building there were rehearsal rooms and concert halls that seemed to float in a world of their own. The soft melodies of violins and pianos gently suppressed the noise of cars, motorcycles and buses. She felt contained by the window, safe and sound in the perfect geometry of the circle.
Circle is a shape that can bear lots of universal and personal meanings.
It’s among the oldest of geometric symbols, and commonly represents unity, wholeness, and infinity. It is also sometimes called the most perfect of creative forms, without beginning or end, without sides or corners.
To me a circle is also something warm and cozy. It’s like a womb or home, where you feel safe.
Hamburg, Germany
2018
Title:
Geometries
Story & Message:
Geometrical shapes and patterns have always had a calming effect on me. Perhaps this is why geometry used to be one of my favorite subjects in school. My most favorite moments are those when I notice patterns that are accidentally made by seemingly unconnected objects. It makes me wonder: is it just a coincidence or some bigger more profound pattern at play.
Zurich, Switzerland,
2018
Title:
Shades
Story & Message:
The way we get from one emotion to another can be a matter of years. But once we are in motion the shades start to gradually change, and even our darkest emotions start to turn into lighter tones. What is constant in the process is the person underneath the shades. Once someone has been through all the shades of an emotion, they develop a strong sense of empathy, and they are able to wear all the shades with confidence and ease.
Helsinki,
2018
Warm Browns
No Project
Title:
Teaparty
Story & Message:
Coming soon
Title:
Caught In the Shadows
Story & Message:
Coming soon
Title:
Icon
Story & Message:
Coming soon
Title:
Sliding Down
Story & Message:
Coming soon
Title:
Delicate
Story & Message:
Coming soon
Title:
Smudged
Story & Message:
Coming soon
Pairs
No Project

Title:
Chaos of Order
Story & Message:
Coming soon

Title:
Highrise
Story & Message:
Coming soon

Title:
Limitless
Story & Message:
There's a limitless abundance of possibilities of how our lives can unfold in this universe. Every single little thing can affect our thoughts, actions, directions in which we're going.
Yet, often, we act as if we know exactly what will happen next. That we will fail, screw up, that some things will never ever work out for us and just simply impossible.
But are they?
Is there anything truly impossible in this world?
2018

Title:
Windows
Story & Message:
Coming soon

Title:
Blending In
Story & Message:
Our instinct to blend in is part of our default setting. Animals use their ability to take up different colors so that they’ll be safe from the predators lurking around them. We may feel compelled to do the same, when we’re in a social setting. By taking up the colors of our environment, we become invisible, and safe from the gaze of others. This way, we feel safe from judgment. But once we get more comfortable, we show our true colors, and that’s when things start to get fun.

Title:
Blending In Blue
Story & Message:
Coming soon

Title:
The Strom Is Coming
Story & Message:
Coming soon

Title:
Cloud
Story & Message:
Coming soon

Title:
Wind 2
Story & Message:
The wind is the caress of Mother Nature. It is the world’s way to tell us “You’re free, you have nothing to worry about”.
The feeling we get whenever we feel the light breeze blow against our face, into our nose, and through our hair, is a relief, to say the least. However, the strong and raving wind has its own way of exciting us, making us feel like we’re at the right place at the right time. There is something fascinating about it, something chaotic and beautiful simultaneously. Although they are totally different, all types of wind are somehow mysterious and amazing, just like us – the people.
Goa, India
2017

Title:
Wind
Story & Message:
The wind is often a symbol of change, movement, energy, and a windmill is a way to achieve that change. Chinese culture believes that windmill symbolizes the ability to turn your luck around and embrace changes in your life. In other cultures windmill frequently symbolizes children’s free, innocent, carefree nature and energy.

Title:
Lines
Story & Message:
Lines define shape – they make up forms, patterns, texture and space. Form is like the gate that welcomes our eyes. It’s the first thing we perceive when looking at an object. Lines guide our vision – they tell us where to focus our attention, defining the direction of our gaze. When used well, they can be extremely attractive to us, conveying a state of mind that we can feel even without understanding. We become captivated on an intuitive level, when lines align immaculately in front of us.

Title:
Black Lines
Story & Message:
Strong black lines make up distinct spaces, and they emphasize the profoundness of a scenery. They welcome you into a mysterious space. The melancholy of the dark place is a trope we are often attracted to, because it speaks to a melancholy residing within us. We are attracted to these melancholic forms, because they seem familiar. Forms delineated by thick black lines are able to evoke strong emotions residing within us that are too buried to be put into words. Black lines create the feeling of depth, and can bring calm to our eyes.

Title:
Wind & Stairs
Story & Message:
Coming soon
Hamburg,
2018

Title:
Stairs & Wind
Story & Message:
Coming soon
Amsterdam,
2019

Title:
Facing Me
Story & Message:
Every one of us has things that we don’t like about ourselves. It may be a personality trait or a body part that we feel is in the way of our happiness. And we may think that by correcting them we will find a way out. However, there’s always the one step that we sometimes miss. We need to accept those things first. With each gesture of acceptance, we take a step closer to ourselves, and incidentally to others. It’s the flaws that make us real, and by facing them we become authentic individuals with authentic souls.
Amsterdam
2019

Title:
Facing Me Two
Story & Message:
Coming soon

Title:
Farewell
Story & Message:
Coming soon

Title:
Don't Know You
Story & Message:
Coming soon
Individual Images
(Solo Works)
No Project
Title:
Don’t Look Back
Story & Message:
How many old beliefs, stories, and assumptions are you holding on to? Like tight invisible ropes, they wrap around your life and won't let you grow. But maybe it's ok with you? For now.
Title:
Unfold
Story & Message:
Creativity exists even in the quietest of places. It doesn’t have to roar or be something extravagant. In truth, some of the best pieces of art come from a rested mind – a mind that flows freely. We do not need to seek out creativity. It often comes to us in the calmest of moments; those moments when we stop thinking and start listening to the world around us. It doesn’t have to be profound, eloquent, or well planned. The most beautiful works of art come from a mind born to let go.
Title:
The Pool
Story & Message:
Coming soon
Title:
Winter Sea
Story & Message:
Coming soon
Title:
Not Here
Story & Message:
Coming soon
Title:
Envy
Story & Message:
We are used to treating envy as a very negative feeling. Yet, it is exactly this feeling that pushes us to take action to get those things for ourselves and to change something in our lives for the better. And first of all, envy is a signal for us to understand what is that we REALLY want in this life. It’s a way to tap into our deepest needs that we might not have been aware of before.
Title:
Freckles In Bloom
Story & Message:
Coming soon
Title:
Too Busy Enjoying Life
Story & Message:
There's nothing but the present moment. The past and the future only exist in our minds. When you realize that and truly suck it in, you begin to live in the Now. And when you change your Now it simultaneously changes your past and your future.
Helsinki, Finland
2021
Title:
Skyhigh
Story & Message:
This image was shot during my trip to Barcelona, Spain, and features one of the most remarkable buildings in this city - Hotel Porta Fira. It was an experimental shot. Whenever I travel, I make my mind work hard and come up with fresh ideas on the spot based on what I find in the place I'm visiting and people I meet. To me, this image became a metaphor picturing all the thoughts, ideas, worries that can live inside of our minds.
Title:
The New Chapter
Story & Message:
The change is never easy. It takes courage, even more so, when the change is imposed on you from the outside world. The key here is to understand that the end of one chapter is usually the beginning of a new one, which has all the chances to be as interesting and exciting as we could have never imagined before.
Inspired by my interest in Russian ballet tradition and the opposition of lightness of ballet dancers on stage to the enormous work they do to get that lightness.
2015
Title:
Thoughts
Story & Message:
Coming soon
Title:
Wonderway
Story & Message:
Coming soon
Title:
Not Any More
Story & Message:
Coming soon
Title:
Order
Story & Message:
Coming soon
Title:
Heard
Story & Message:
Coming soon
Title:
Before the Storm
Story & Message:
Coming soon
Title:
Blues
Story & Message:
This work came along when I was shooting my Paper Cuts project, focused above all on monochrome, of the color blue in this case. It was shot at a commuter train station in Helsinki, Finland, and takes advantage of the station's unique design. For me, this work is a reminder that simple things around us can look surreal and magical from a certain angle. But often, we forget about the magic of life, whether man-made or created by nature, and simply pass it by. Yet, the magic is always there, we just need to make a slight effort to get conscious of it and see it all around.
Helsinki, Finland
2018
Title:
Tunnel
Story & Message:
This work came along when I was shooting my Paper Cuts project, focused above all on monochrome, of the color blue in this case. It was shot at a commuter train station in Helsinki, Finland, and takes advantage of its unique design.
When I saw those round windows I immediately thought of 2 things:
1) they reminded me of a portal of some kind, a portal to a parallel world, the world of our imagination
2) the shape, when viewed from the side became oval and became a classic oval portrait frame, perhaps 200 years ago a person could carry a small portrait like that on his or her neck in a locket.
That could be a portrait of someone near and dear.
I thought in this case it might be a portrait or an image of a better self, the one perhaps you're striving to become.
Helsinki, Finland
2018
Title:
Caravan
Story & Message:
The world is a crazy, beautiful, ugly complicated place, and it keeps moving on from crisis to strangeness to beauty to weirdness to tragedy to joy. The caravan keeps moving on, thought after thought, event after event. But what if we stop, step out of it for just a second, and observe? My hope is that this observation is a path from suffering and being caught in the entanglement, to the state of awe.
Helsinki, Finland
2019
Title:
Zig Zag
Story & Message:
Zig Zag is like lighting, it symbolizes change. The change sometimes comes into our lives fast and uncontrollably, catching us off guard. Yet, it's a part of life. Its essential part and this work is a reminder of that. The message of this image that instead of being afraid and struck by change, we should be ready and aware that it may happen at any moment. And the only thing we can do, when it comes is to embrace it and start our life all over again.
India
2017
Title:
Coincidence
Story & Message:
Coincidence is a remarkable concurrence of events or circumstances without an apparent causal connection. Some coincidences we tend to brush off as nothing special. Others we perceive as deeply meaningful signs that turn our lives in a different direction. In any case, coincidences make our lives more interesting and sometimes make us pause and take a second look at something that we were about to pass by.
This shot is a complete coincidence: the balls did line up like that in reality, almost by magic, though we were shooting under the severe wind close to the Nothern Baltic seashore. No deep Photoshopping was needed.
Helsinki, Finland
2019
Title:
The Red Dot
Story & Message:
Coming soon
Title:
The Umbrella Girl
Story & Message:
Coming soon
Title:
Balance
Story & Message:
Coming soon
Title:
Together We Stand
Story & Message:
Coming soon
Title:
Correlations
Story & Message:
Coming soon
Title:
Up & Go!
Story & Message:
Coming soon
Exclusively For TiNT Gallery
Exclusively for TiNT Gallery
Title:
Canon In D Major – Pachelbel
Project:
Imagine Music
Exclusively for TiNT Gallery
Title:
Pas De Deux – The Nutcracker – Tchaikovsky
Project:
Imagine Music
Exclusively for TiNT Gallery
Title:
Blue – Jimmy Sax – Worakls
Project:
Imagine Music
Exclusively for TiNT Gallery
Title:
The Four Seasons – Vivaldi
Project:
Imagine Music
Exclusively for TiNT Gallery
Title:
The Heart Asks Pleasure First – Nyman
Project:
Imagine Music
Exclusively for TiNT Gallery
Title:
Blue Wave
Project:
No Project
Exclusively for TiNT Gallery
Title:
Off the Charts
Project:
Uncertainty
Exclusively for TiNT Gallery
Title:
Mirror
Project:
Subtraction
Exclusively for TiNT Gallery
Title:
Sun In Pink
Project:
Subtraction
Exclusively for TiNT Gallery
Title:
Sending the Signal
Project:
Subtraction
Exclusively for TiNT Gallery
Title:
The End of the Tunnel
Project:
Tunnel Vision
Exclusively for TiNT Gallery
Title:
Scilent Scream
Project:
Tunnel Vision
Exclusively For Vision Gallery, Israel
Exclussively for Vision Gallery, Israel
Title:
Trajectory
Project:
Uncertainty
Exclussively for Vision Gallery, Israel
Title:
Sugar Cubes
Project:
The Dark Days of the Soul
Exclussively for Vision Gallery, Israel
Title:
Doubt
Project:
Resistance
Exclussively for Vision Gallery, Israel
Title:
My Order
Project:
The Dark Days of the Soul
Exclussively for Vision Gallery, Israel
Title:
Growth
Project:
Pattern Recognition
Exclussively for Vision Gallery, Israel
Title:
Head in the Clouds
Project:
No Project
Exclussively for Vision Gallery, Israel
Title:
Process
Project:
Heights & Stairs
Exclussively for Vision Gallery, Israel
Title:
In and Out
Project:
Resistance
Exclusively For Motel Collection London Until Sep 2022
Exclusively for Motel Collection London until Sep 2022
Title:
Creeping In
Project:
Life of Folds
Exclusively for Motel Collection London until Sep 2022
Title:
Rain
Project:
No Project
Exclusively for Motel Collection London until Sep 2022
Title:
Entangled
Project:
Life of Folds
Exclusively for Motel Collection London until Sep 2022
Title:
Petals of Grey
Project:
Escapes
Exclusively for Motel Collection London until Sep 2022
Title:
Teatime
Project:
Escapes
Exclusively for Motel Collection London until Sep 2022
Title:
Stories
Project:
Escapes
Exclusively for Motel Collection London until Sep 2022
Title:
Growing
Project:
Life of Folds
Exclusively for Motel Collection London until Sep 2022
Title:
Soap
Project:
Escapes
Exclusively for Motel Collection London until Sep 2022
Title:
Mind Travels
Project:
Escapes
Exclusively for Motel Collection London until Sep 2022
Title:
By Herself
Project:
Life of Folds
Exclusive For Galleries
Title:
Red Drop
Project:
No Project
Title:
Sunset Over Zurich
Project:
No Project
Title:
Handmade Life
Project:
No Project
Title:
Bright Side
Project:
No Project
Title:
The One
Project:
No Project
Title:
Inbound
Project:
No Project
Title:
Barefoot
Project:
No Project
Title:
Me Again
Project:
No Project
Title:
Courage
Project:
No Project
Title:
Red Berries
Project:
No Project
Title:
Inclination
Project:
No Project
Title:
It's On Fire
Project:
No Project
Title:
Flame
Project:
No Project
Title:
Spectrum
Project:
No Project
Title:
Shades of One Color
Project:
No Project
Title:
Awakening
Project:
No Project
Title:
Linked
Project:
No Project
Title:
Whites
Project:
No Project
Title:
Blown Away
Project:
No Project
Title:
Got You
Project:
No Project
Title:
In My Hands
Project:
No Project
Title:
Enter
Project:
No Project
Title:
The Curve
Project:
No Project
Title:
Reign
Project:
No Project
Title:
Silence
Project:
No Project
Title:
Chasing Waves
Project:
No Project
Title:
I Can See Now
Project:
No Project
Title:
Wings
Project:
No Project
Title:
Aquarium
Project:
No Project
Title:
Chasing Childhood
Project:
No Project
Title:
Calm Waters
Project:
No Project
Title:
Circles by the Water
Project:
No Project
Title:
Play It Again
Project:
No Project
Title:
Let's Get It Right
Project:
No Project
Title:
Perfect Balance Is Easy
Project:
No Project
Title:
Go Wih The Wind
Project:
No Project
Title:
Lines Are Made Of Dots
Project:
No Project
Title:
Winter Arch
Project:
No Project
Title:
The Wind Is The Way
Project:
No Project
Title:
Into the Woods
Project:
No Project
Title:
Two Souls
Project:
No Project
Title:
Explosion
Project:
No Project
Title:
Keys
Project:
No Project
Title:
All Mine
Project:
No Project
Title:
The Corner
Project:
No Project
Title:
Zero
Project:
No Project
Title:
Castle
Project:
No Project
Title:
Reading All Alone
Project:
No Project
Title:
Listen To The Wind
Project:
No Project
Title:
Pink Ocean
Project:
No Project
Title:
Rainbow
Project:
No Project
Title:
In Between
Project:
No Project
Title:
Directions
Project:
No Project
Title:
I Know Better
Project:
No Project
Title:
Don't Listen
Project:
No Project
Title:
Stonehenge
Project:
No Project
Title:
I'll Cover You
Project:
No Project
Title:
Bright Spot
Project:
No Project
Title:
Follow the Leader
Project:
No Project