Mermaid, 2023

Mia Hamari enjoys working in natural light, which she considers the best light for working. The artist specifically shapes the faces of her figures under natural light, since their expressions transform as the light wanes. Artificial light is harsh and its shadows obscure the forms, so as twilight falls, she focuses on the less critical parts of the works.

The figure in Mermaid has a haunting gaze that shifts depending on where you're looking from. The web-footed girl stands at the water's edge, just about to dip her toes in. The body resembles a doll or a little girl, with hair made from an upturned spruce root system. The work is a self-portrait of the artist.

Water is often present in Mia Hamari's works as a suggestive element. When she worked by the river, she could hear the constant roar of the water. The sound also followed her inside the house, especially in the spring when the ice had gone. The flowing river became so familiar that it became part of her. The sea, on the other hand, is something she is a bit afraid of – perhaps that is why water-related themes keep returning to her sculptures.