Maima (Maria) Tani lives in Helsinki, where she works from home, shares a studio with her visual artist sister, and creates at the Autism Foundation’s Vallila Art Studio. Her works have been showcased in numerous notable exhibitions, including Mänttä Art Festival (2024), Kehä Festival in Oulu (2024), the Heralbony Art Prize exhibition in Tokyo (2024), Art Brut Biennale in Hengelo (2023), Outsider Art Festival in Helsinki, and Kaarisilta Biennale. She graduated as a goldsmith artisan from the Invalidisäätiö in 2011 and has also completed a year-long visual arts program at North Savo College, along with several years of basic art education.
Maima Tani is a versatile artist. She creates intricate drawings using fine-tipped pigment pens and crafts imaginative handmade pieces through crochet. Her rich inner world is vividly reflected in her art, with favorite themes including mushrooms, imaginary creatures, and marine animals. In her free time, she enjoys photographing mushrooms for her own pleasure and shares her home with her cat, Mörkö.
You can explore Maima Tani’s artistic process and her collaboration with her artist sister by watching the trailer (you move to You Tube -video) for their Breathing Reef video artwork.
The premiere of the artwork was at Art Brut Biënnale, Hengelo, in October 2023.
Script: Satu ja Maria Tani
Coral dress: Maria Tani
Director: Satu Tani
Video: Satu Tani
Editor: Heidi Järvinen
Text and graphics: Satu Tani and Heidi Järvinen
Soundscape: Pixabay
Maima (Maria) Tani
Art Studio: Artstudio in Vallila
My mother enrolled me in an art school when I was six, and I stayed there until I became an adult (you couldn’t stay any longer). That’s where I got my first taste of creating art and experimenting with different techniques. Every summer, we visited the Retretti Art Centre. When I was very little, I’d sit on my mother’s shoulders, kicking off my rubber boots out of boredom. As a teenager, though, those trips to Retretti became a summer highlight. Every Saturday, my dad and I would watch Nature Documentary. When I saw Jacques Cousteau’s The Secrets of the Sea, I fell in love with the underwater world, especially coral reefs.
I love creating art slowly and meticulously, spending hours on a piece while listening to music. It takes me about a week to complete an A4-sized drawing. In addition to drawing, I also create art through crochet. In past years, I’ve crocheted five jellyfish (9 months) and a coral dress (2 years). Since I don’t like to keep my hands idle, I’m currently working on a crochet ammonite installation. My goal is to make 300–500 ammonites, which will take several years. In the future, I hope my work can reach Japan.
Artworks
Jellyfish
- Year: 2019
- Size: 70x250x376cm
- Art Form: Sculpture, Mixed media, Installation, Textile Art
CV
b. 1986
Contact: satu.k.tani@gmail.com
Instagram: @maima_tani
Education
2011 goldsmith artesan, Invalidiopisto, Järvenpää education centre
2005 visual arts line (34 study weeks), Pohjois-Savo edicatory centre
Several visual expression techniques and manual skills at Seurakuntaopisto
Selected private exhibitions
2022 Korallinainen / Galleria IPIOMA / Helsinki
2018 Otuksia / Linnan Galleria / Pieksämäki
2017 Viivoja ja pisteitä / Seurakuntaopiston kampus / Pieksämäki
Upcoming
2025 private exhibition April 1–May 18, Lahti Museum of Visual Arts Malva
2025 Outsider Art Festival / Helsinki
Selected group exhibitions
2024 Mänttä Art Festival XXVIII
2024 Cultural Clash / Inuti Galleri / Tukholma
2024 Kehä-festival / Oulu
2024 Heralbony Art Prize -exhibition, Tokio
2024 Outsider Art Festival / Leipätehdas / Helsinki
2023 Art Brut Biennale (as invited), Hengelo, Hollanti
2023 Kaarisilta Biennale collaborative artwork with Satu Tani
2023 Helsinki Design Week
2023 Imagine Every Day! l’Institut finlandais, Pariisi
2022 Muji Small Gallery / Helsinki
2021 Kaarisilta Biennale / Nastola
2021 JEP & YO / Vapaakaupungin Olohuone / Helsinki
2020 Monochromatic Minds -teemanäyttely Lontoossa / Jennifer Lauren Gallery
2020 Dumbo Octopus ja sankariklaani / Kulttuurikeskus Poleeni / Pieksämäki
2020 Pieksämäen kuvataideseuran nuorten triennaali / kutsunäyttely / Pieksämäki
2019 Kaarisilta Biennale / Nastola
2019 Masters of Saimaa / Forum Box / Helsinki (TraumaWear -kokonaisuus yhdessä kuvataiteilija Satu Tanin kanssa)
Grants
2025 Kettuki’s Artist of the Year -award, Kansan sivistysrahasto
2024 OAF Akatemia, artistic work (with Satu Tani)
2023 Arts Promotion Centre Finland, (work group grant for video work)
2023 mobility grant Benelux-institute Finland
2023 mobility grant Frame Contemporary Art Finland
2022 Arts Promotion Centre Finland, to realize fantasy jewelry
2021 Arts Promotion Centre Finland, From Idea to work 2
Awards
2025 Kettuki’s Artist of The Year
2023 Kaarisilta Biennale, honorable mention with Satu Tani
2022 Outsider Art Festival, Artist of The Year together with Satu Tani
2021 Kaarisilta Biennale, honorable mention
Publications
2021 Kuti #62, nationwide comic book