M A H I N A

Mahina is a bioluminescent water nymph whose lithe sapphire body is feminine yet fish-like. Her full lips are quirked in a slight smirk, and she raises one eyebrow slightly, daring you to come closer. Mahina means “moonlight” in Hawaiian. She is the night, while her sister Cahaya, whose name means “light" in, Indonesian, is the day. Cahaya’s eyes and hands point up toward the sunlight, while Mahina’s point down toward the viewer - and the underworld. Together they are the guardians of the sea.

A R T I S T   S T A T E M E N T

Mahina is a bioluminescent water nymph whose lithe sapphire body is feminine yet fish-like. Her full lips are quirked in a slight smirk, and she raises one eyebrow slightly, regarding the viewer with interest. Her divergent steel fishtail base is embedded with mosaic glass scales, and like a fish, her body is vertically bisected, her center penetrated by a hollow steel spinal column from which her bioluminescence softly emanates, shining through circular glass windows of blue and violet. 

Made from army landing mats, her illuminated spinal column is painted a reflective white inside and filled with mirrors which intensify each light while also blocking its reach. The result is an eerie juxtaposition of light and darkness, the pattern of which may be interpreted as some mysterious signal to the viewer in Mahina’s bioluminescent language. 

Low-energy LEDs are the source of Mahina's inner light, powered through a small solar panel integrated into her fishtail base. Mahina means “moonlight” in Hawaiian. She is the night, while her sister Cahaya, whose name means “light" in, Indonesian, is the day. Mahina's hands point down toward the earth and underworld, while Cahaya’s point up toward the sunlight and the heavens. Together they are the guardians of the sea.

H O L L O W   S P I N E

Made from army landing mats, Mahina's illuminated spinal column is painted a reflective white inside and filled with mirrors which intensify each light while also blocking its reach. The result is an eerie juxtaposition of light and darkness, the pattern of which may be interpreted as some mysterious signal to the viewer in Mahina’s bioluminescent language.                                                

I N N E R    L I G H T

Low-energy LEDs are the source of Mahina's inner light, powered through a small solar panel integrated into her fishtail base. Mahina means “moonlight” in Hawaiian. She is the night, while her sister Cahaya, whose name means “light" in, Indonesian, is the day. Mahina's hands point down toward the earth and underworld, while Cahaya’s point up toward the sunlight and the heavens. Together they are the guardians of the sea.

Photos by Shanachie Carroll

B U I L D I N G   M A H I N A

Watch me build Cahaya & Mahina in this video!