In this series, Andrea Mueller transforms an unlikely vessel into a miniature stage for the messy, tender, and often funny emotional landscape of parenthood.

"Each glass diorama is both a reflection and representation of an emotional snapshot in time. As parents, we are constantly navigating the delicate balance between ambition and care, freedom and responsibility, desire and acceptance. With the perspective that time gives us, there is humour in the day-to-day learning of how to keep your head above water.  As a child, I remember visiting the Museum of Nature and loving the dioramas. It’s an effective way to describe a snapshot in time of an historical event or natural ecosystem. For this exhibition, I wanted to explore and capture the fleeting, emotional and humorous moments of parenting, all in an IKEA drinking glass."

AMBITION, 2026

CARE, 2026

ACCEPTANCE, 2026

DESIRE, 2026

FREEDOM, 2026

RESPONSIBILITY, 2026

The exhibition title, Now I Know What Nothing Is, was inspired by a photograph published in Patti Smith’s A Book Of Days, a book containing 366 images from Smith’s life. In this image, Smith sits in a chair, chin in the heel of her hand. She is lost in thought, a distinct heaviness to her gaze. The caption accompanying the photo reads: "This is just thinking of nothing. I remember my mother sitting like this. And I would ask, ' What is it, Mommy? And she would say, 'Oh, nothing.' And now I know what nothing is."