The 'Sielut' investigates ancient Finnic beliefs surrounding the soul

It is believed that a person has three souls; löyly, henki and itse —Itse could move freely as a separate entity in landscapes, and realms. In this worldview, nature is not merely a backdrop for human existence but an active participant. Bogs, in particular, were seen as liminal spaces where itse -souls could vanish, dissolving into the earth, become part of nature. This notion of disappearance—of slipping between worlds—forms the foundation of the series, which explores the tensions between presence and absence, materiality and immateriality.

Within this larger exploration, the Sielut -sculptures manifest as delicate traces of these lost souls. Blown into naturally hollow tree trunks, the sculptures take shape within cavities that once held life, echoing the idea of souls lingering in forests and swamps rather than returning to human society. Transparent yet tangible, they embody the paradox of disappearance—how something can be both lost and present at once. These works reflect a deep human yearning to escape the pressures of modern life, to seek refuge in nature, and, perhaps, to return to a state of being where the boundaries between self and landscape dissolve.

Sielut, 2025

credits KV, Wilhelm Scheruebl, Veera Komulainen

The 'HILJAISET VEDET' INSTALLATION CONTINUES THE investigatION OF THE Finnic beliefs surrounding the soulS

Hiljaiset vedet, 2025 (translated as 'still waters') presents water as a boundary between the material and the immaterial. Drawing on the Finnish concept of Tuonela—a place where souls are believed to cross this fluid threshold into another dimension—the work explores how our perception of reality shifts when observation and belief intersect.

By transforming these fleeting, transitional qualities into spatial forms, the Hiljaiset vedet pieces challenge our understanding of modern human thought. The glass elements seek to make the transparency of water and air visible, capturing the silent motion and delicately shifting boundary of these substances. In this way, we find ourselves re-examining our own changing perspectives—a situation in which the line between what is perceived and what is imagined becomes ever more blurred.

credits Veera Komulainen

hiljaiset vedet, 2025

SWAMP LANDSCAPES, 2023-2025

Swampland and it's self protecting qualities

In these screenprinted works, I pay homage to the swamp—the often-overlooked ecosystem that plays a vital role in carbon sequestration while also nourishing a rich mythological legacy. Using linen as the printing surface connects the organic softness of the medium with the swamp’s own intricate networks of plant life, water, and silt. The flowing textures of the ink echo meandering waterways and tangled roots, hinting at the delicate balance between growth and decay that underscores this habitat’s resilience.

Beyond their ecological importance, swamps have long existed in the realm of legend and folklore, acting as thresholds between worlds. In creating these pieces, I aim to capture that aura of mystery and transformation. The subdued layers of ink echo the depth of the water’s surface, where forms appear and vanish like half-remembered dreams. Through these landscapes, viewers are invited to engage with the spiritual and tangible dimensions of the swamp: a place of hidden vitality, ancient wisdom, and quiet renewal.

GREDITS studio.fjelds, Wilhelm Scheruebl, Veera Komulainen

'HILJAISET VEDET' INSTALLATION CONTINUES THE investigatION OF THE Finnic beliefs surrounding the soulS

The ancient practice of “soul retrieval,” a tradition in which certain individuals possess the ability to journey beyond the ordinary realm to recover fragments of a lost soul. At its core, this process is about restoration—a spiritual passage through fragmentation and renewal.

Visually, the series calls to mind seed pods, cellular structures, or clusters of fruit. Their rhythmic repetition and multiplication echo the cyclical forces underpinning life itself: growth, decay, and reemergence. By crafting reflective surfaces in the glass, I invite viewers into a dialogue between what is readily visible and the unseen elements held within. As light and movement shift around the dark, mirrored interiors, each piece becomes an ever-evolving interplay of presence and absence.

Here, soul retrieval parallels the natural processes of life’s cycles. In the same way that seeds lie dormant before sprouting anew, our inner landscapes harbor lost pieces awaiting reclamation.

credits Veera Komulainen

rituaali, 2025

KULKIJAT, 2024

WANDERING SOULS

Sculptures combining glass and wood, inspired by an old Finnish belief that humans have three souls and how one of these souls can get lost in the forests. These sculptures feature a glass-blown base with a wooden top that has been burned. I refer to them as ‘Kulkijat’ – souls that are wandering. The inaugural series of these sculptures is titled ‘Kaamoksen kulkijat’, meaning wanderers of the Kaamos time, a period when the sun does not rise. Through these sculptures, I aim to reflect on the soul’s journey during the dark times of Kaamos. This is symbolic of our own search for meaning and identity during periods of darkness and uncertainty in our lives. The ‘kulkijat’, as they meander through the eternal forests, serve as a metaphor for our own navigations through life’s challenges and complexities. They compel us to introspect our own journey, pondering over the essence of what it truly means to be lost or found.

RESEARCH OF SACRED ITEMS, 2024

sacredness of nature

In the summer of 2024, I started capturing nature’s sacred moments in a carefully kept diary. Each week, a new carborundum print was created—carborundum print was made from the interplay between the seen and the unseen.

Observations were noted—these reflections became the essence of the work.
In the studio, the process of carborundum printmaking assumed another dimension. The deep black inherent to the medium was seen not merely as a color but as a portal to abstraction. It blurred the boundaries between what is visible and what lingers in hidden spaces, transforming impressions sacred items, to name a few; 'oak', 'ode to stone' and 'the beginning'.

Each print, crafted over the course of a week, emerged as an exploration of dualities—the tangible textures of nature interwoven with the intangible threads of memory and emotion. The deep black acted as a veil, both concealing and revealing, challenging the observer to look beyond the surface and seek the divine in every nuanced detail.

Collection includes 12 small prints.

NATURAL, 2022-2024

capturing details and moods of landscapes

Crafted with a single, continuous line or a series of simple, deliberate movements, these works evoke the delicate moods of the natural world. Each piece—titled Koivikko, Usva, Tihku, and others—captures an ephemeral moment, inviting you to experience the blurred beauty of a landscape felt more than seen.

The subtle imperfections and soft blurring inherent in the technique draw the viewer into a space, where the organic texture of linen enhances the natural, unfiltered dimension of each painting. These works are a celebration of simplicity and spontaneity, where every stroke is a whisper of nature’s mystery and allure.

CREDIT Carl Hansen & Søn, Veera Komulainen

MINÄ SE KANNAN TÄTÄ MAISEMAA SISÄLLÄNI AINA, 2023

The name of the exhibition and installation goes back to the play ‘Sirius’ guests’ (1984) written by Arto Meller.

Translated from Finnish, ‘I will always carry this landscape with me ’
Solo exhibition in Mältinranta, Tampere, Finland. November 2022

The installation showcases her childhood a postpartum landscape in Southern Finland. Through her work she discusses of the meaning of a memory; How the social and physical landscape which a person is born to, determines his future and, at the same time, his mental landscape. Komulainen has romanticized and excavated significant things from his childhood landscape to the sculptures and paintings.