Finnish artist Sini Villi (b. 1980, Nivala) creates mesmerizing three-dimensional textile artworks from handmade ribbon. Each piece is patiently layered, sewn and shaped into a sculptural relief that, once hardened, holds their own unique form.

Sini Villi´s visual language is rooted in her childhood landscape of Northern Ostrobothnia, where vast, silent fields and seasonal rhythms shaped her eye. The softly ploughed autumn grooves, the muted one-tone colors of winter, and the return of vibrant life each spring are all echoed in her works. "I am inspired by the endless layers and spiral patterns of nature. These softly repetitive shapes have been an essential part of my art since the beginning." 

Before dedicating herself fully to textile art, Villi worked widely in fashion and interior textiles after graduating with a Bachelor of Culture and Arts in 2004. Her work with the renowned Berlin-based Finnish design studio Klaus Haapaniemi & Co. since 2014 has allowed her to deepen her knowledge and versatility in design and textiles. Villi’s journey into art began with the desire to slow down, embrace process and express her own creative voice.

Sini Villi's works have captured attention and are exhibited in various galleries across Europe, including those in Paris, Amsterdam, Brussels, Helsinki, Tallinn, and Stockholm. Her art is also part of several notable collections, such as the Finnish State Art Collection, the Oulu Museum of Art Collection, and the Delen Private Bank art collection in Belgium, as well as in private collections worldwide. Sini Villi lives and works in Helsinki, Finland.

Photo: Mona Salminen