The raakku-vase was hand-coiled from Finnish earthenware and painted with local soil slips from the Soil Laboratory. It serves as a lament for a bed of freshwater pearl mussels (fin. jokihelmisimpukka or raakku), run over by a logging machine in the Hukkajoki River in Kainuu in 2024. This critically endangered species can live for over 200 years and can be seen as a canary in the coal mine, as it is especially sensitive to pollution both in the water and soil.

In a tragic re-telling of the age old story of anthropogenic destruction, the project became relevant again in 2025 as thousands of juvenile arctic sea trout (fin. meritaimen) were massacred, as a temporary damn was built on their spawning grounds in the Mätäjoki River in Vantaa.  The second taimen-vase was built from local natural clay, dug from my childhood beach, in an effort to emotionally reconnect with aquatic environments in a non-destructive way. 

The slow hand-coiling techniques offered time to grieve and reflect on the impact us humans have on our place of dwelling.

Hoarse, I whisper your name — mother-of-pearl runs down my cheek.

The river runs for you alone, my quiet, glimmering creek.

You’ve breathed the stream of centuries, longer than I will stay.

With open hands, now offering peace to guard your sleep each day.

Materials: finnish earthenware, local soil slips

Raakku (2024) 

51 cm x 15 cm

(Coming)

Taimen (2025)

Materials: natural local red clay & eathenware mixture, local soil slips