Modernist Futuristic Diver Brass Sculpture, First Born by Sakari Kannosto 2022

A partially polished brass sculpture by Sakari Kannosto, First-born belongs to one of the artist’s latest body of work exploring adaptation, myth, and our shifting relationship with the environment from the series “Waiting”. The figure is part diver, part sea creature, part human—an imagined being shaped by rising waters and a changing climate. The hybrid form appears to emerge from a near-future world, one where evolution and necessity have intertwined.

Kannosto describes these figures as descendants of mermaids, informed by myth, science fiction, and art history. The slightly backward-leaning stance suggests readiness, a quiet anticipation of a coming wave. On the figure’s back grows the next generation, an intimate reminder of continuity and survival. The surface alternates between polished and patinated brass, giving the piece both a sense of timelessness and a sculptural presence reminiscent of small monuments. Seen up close, the hand-worked modeling reveals Kannosto’s characteristic sensitivity to form and texture—organic, imaginative, and anchored in narrative. The sculpture can be mounted from below with two threaded rods into stone, wood, or any solid base. Made in 2024 and acquired directly from the artist.

Sakari Kannosto (b. 1973) graduated from the Academy of Fine Arts in Helsinki and has held numerous exhibitions in Finland and abroad. His works are included in major public collections such as the Finnish State Art Collection, EMMA, the Tampere Art Museum, and Aalto University, and have been shown internationally at TEFAF, Design Miami, and in New York. He has produced several public artworks in the Helsinki area and is a member of the Arabia Art Department Society. Known for his imaginative hybrid creatures, Kannosto continues the Finnish tradition of sculptural storytelling while pushing it into new ecological and speculative territories.