Inner Child

“Most people discard their childhood like an old hat.
They forget it like a phone number that is no longer valid.
They used to be children,
then they became adults,
but what are they now?
Only those who grow up and remain a child are human.”
— Erich Kästner

In this series, I explore the idea of the inner child through my Ganesha figures — as expressions of imagination, openness and freedom, of playful strength.

As a child, I deeply loved the world of Pippi Longstocking. During my years as a professional figure skater, I sometimes even wore her braids. Her fearless independence, warmth, and playful resistance to convention stayed with me and became part of my own inner imagery.

Through Ganesha, these qualities found a visual form. For me, Ganesha embodies something deeply alive and childlike — a presence that combines strength with softness, humor with wisdom, and joy with inner stillness.

Each figure develops its own presence — some quiet and grounded, others filled with a dancing vitality. Yet all of them meet us with a slightly mischievous smile.