How does an idea that pops into an artist’s mind become a finished work of art? For anyone interested in the creative process, this film offers a rare opportunity to see it up close. The filmmakers follow German artist Thomas Schütte as he works on a new creation to be exhibited at the Museum of Modern Art in New York: a three-meter-tall mermaid he names “Nixe” after a goddess of the night from Greek mythology.

Schütte is one of the most renowned contemporary artists who has been creating works from paper, glass, clay, and bronze for more than 40 years. In the film, we watch him melt, cast, saw, burn, and mold with his bare hands as a cigarette dangles from his lips. But he’s not actually alone: This is a group effort with many professionals using various techniques and computer simulations. It’s hard work that results in raw materials taking on shape, texture, and meaning.