333 - Heini Riitahuhta

Heini Riitahuhta Pikkulintu A miniature sculpture that also functions as a bird whistle. High-temperature-fired colored stoneware, ruby luster, hollow inside, bottom sealed with a 3M sticker bearing information. Screen-printed / monotype, hand-printed and cut, transparent glaze. H 12.5 cm, W 4 cm, D 6 cm, approx. 97 g Heini Riitahuhta calls this series Titi-Tyy According to Riitahuhta’s own description, the Titi-Tyy comes from snowy Finland, far to the north. Very little is known about this species because, it is said, no one has ever observed its eggs or chicks. The strangest thing is that the Titi-Tyy is said to breed year-round, despite Finland’s harsh conditions. Even more mysterious is the belief that these birds nest inside potter’s kilns, where temperatures can reach about 1,260 °C. For this reason, researchers have never been able to figure out how they reproduce. This explains the connection to Riitahuhta’s ceramics: his Titi-Tyy is not just a sculpture. It is a small bird whistle. The ceramic bird is hollow, and when you hold it to your lips and blow into it, it “sings.”