Liina Aalto-Setälä | Rukous kimalaiselle II / RESERVED

“According to the world view of the Baltic Finns, the relationship with one’s environment takes shape through asking and giving. This principle of reciprocity has been manifested, among other things, in the sacrificial gifts that have been given to the people of the forest in exchange for the products obtained from it. The offering of food gifts and care can still be seen in our everyday life, for example in the form of birdhouses and insect hotels, even though their ritualistic nature has disappeared. The four-part series Prayer to the Bumblebee is a continuation of this tradition. The ceramic sculptures are shaped according to the living needs of bumblebees, and they can be placed in the garden as nesting places for bumblebees.”