Gabriella Presnal (b.2001, they/them) is a Finnish-American artist based in Southern Finland. Born in Germany and having grown up living in countries like Sweden, Canada, and multiple states in the U.S., they have been living in Finland since 2017 and have recently lived the last year in Copenhagen, Denmark. They are a multidisciplinary artist working with sculpture, painting, moving image (& 360 video), hand-drawn animation, biomaterials, as well as applied fine arts.

At the root of their works, there is an ongoing conversation with themself on how they move through memory, culture, and understanding spatiality. Their works have many times worked with communities, such as queer international (multicultural, immigrants, language minorities) youth based in Southern Finland. They have also produced multiple community-based projects surrounding sustainability & nonhuman actors, precarity in the arts field, and imagining utopias.

They have insofar primarily exhibited in Finland, most notably at Galleria Augusta, Himmelblau Galleria, Galleria Napa, Galleria Ars Liberia, Musiikkitalo, the Kaisaniemi Botanical Gardens’ Greenhouse, and will be exhibiting in Amos Rex’s Generation 2026 group exhibition. They have also had works exhibited internationally in countries such as Korea, Slovenia, Italy, Cyprus, Australia, Brazil, the U.S., and most recently in Denmark.

They have recently graduated (2026) from Aalto University (Department of Art and Design) & Aalborg University (Department of Communications and Psychology) having received two masters degrees in Nordic Master in Visual Studies and Art Education. They previously graduated (2023) with a Bachelors in Media & Art from Tampere University of Applied Sciences.

  • 2023 – 2026. Masters in Art & Design (MA). Nordic Masters in Visual Studies and Art Education, Department of Art and Design, Aalto University, Espoo, Finland.

    2023 – 2026. Masters of Arts (MA). Nordic Masters in Visual Studies and Art Education. Department of Communication and Psychology, Aalborg University, Copenhagen, Denmark.

    Double Degree master’s program from Aalto University and Aalborg University in Espoo, Finland, and Copenhagen, Denmark, respectively.

  • Bachelor of Culture and Arts - Degree Program in Media and Arts (Fine Arts path), 2020 - 2023 (1 yr early)Tampere University of Applied Sciences (TAMK), Tampere, Finland.

    Graduated with 294cr in 3 years, the program is typically 240cr in 4 years (meaning nearly 5yrs of credits completed in 3yrs).

    Thesis graded 5/5.

    Awarded a Graduation scholarship stipend for academic performance.

  • International Baccalaureate (IB) Degree, 2018-2020 Mattlidens Gymnasium, Espoo, Finland.

    6 studies, CAS (Creativity, Action, Service), TOK (Theory Of Knowledge). Awards for CAS & Visual Arts.

    Awarded Graduation stipend from City of Espoo/Espoon kaupunki Taloushallintokesk. Stipend Awards for Visual Arts & CAS (Creativity, Action, Service). Espoo, FI.

  • 2025 - Konstsamfundet.Generation 2026. Finland.

    2025 - MIMIR. Deep Dive - Commissioned Artist. Espoo, Finland.

    2025 - Aalto/ Unite! Student Artwork Competition Honorable Mention. Espoo, Finland.

    2024 - SRI Congress.Sustainability Science Days (SSD) 2024 Commissioned Artist. Helsinki, Finland.

    2023 - City of Helsinki. Stipend for Emergent Properties Exhibition (Caisa Gallery).

    2023 - The Finnish     Cultural Foundation. Expenditure Grant for undergraduate thesis group degree show RAW, awarded to Gabriella Presnal & Working Group.

    2022 - DigitalBigScreen2022. 360 Third Place Prize, Trbovlje, Slovenia.

  • 2022. Group Exhibition: Ephemeral exhibition at Raina, Kehräsaari, Tampere. Curated by Gabriella Presnal.

    2022. Group Exhibition: Connections exhibition at Mediapolis, Tampere. Curated by Gabriella Presnal.

    2022. Virtual Group Exhibition: Realm. TAMK Kunstmatrix. Curated by Gabriella Presnal.

    2022. Virtual Group Exhibition: Workshops. TAMK Kunstmatrix. Curated by Gabriella Presnal.

  • 2024 - Present. PUBLICS General Member. Helsinki, Finland.

    2023 - Present. Catalysti General member. Helsinki, Finland.

    Globe Art Point General member. Helsinki, Finland.

    2023 - 2024. PUBLICS Youth Board Member. Helsinki, Finland.

    2023. HIAA General member. Helsinki, Finland.

    2022 - 2024. Rajataide ry General member. Tampere, Finland.

    Yö Galleria / Yö ry General member. Helsinki, Finland.

  • 2025.

    • Beast. Open Studio (with Isabella Martin). Bornholm, Denmark.

    • Kaisaniemi Botanic Garden. Compost. Helsinki, Finland.

    2024.

    • Galleria Ars Liberia. KEIJU (ISH). Kuopio, Finland.

    • V1 Gallery. Watermelon. Espoo, Finland.

    2023.

    • Yö Galleria. Our Place. Helsinki, Finland.

    • Kultuurikeskus Caisa. Emergent Properties (with Kristian Presnal). Helsinki, Finland.

    • *Purkutaidetalo. Pinni47: Sticky Fingers (with Emily Laakso). Tampere, Finland.

    • Vapaakaupungin Galleria. Queer Web. Helsinki, Finland.

    2020.

    • Skanssi Shopping Center. Lux Skannsi Light Festival: Harmony. Turku, Finland.

    2019.

    • Utua Brand Shop. Genuine Expression. Helsinki, Finland.

  • 2023.

    • Round Kallio. Square. Helsinki, Finland.

    • Epicenter. HIRED: Out At Work. Helsinki, Finland.

    2020.

    • Skanssi Shopping Center. Lux Skannsi Light Festival - Harmony. Turku, Finland.


    2019.

    • Utua Brand Shop. Genuine Expression. Helsinki, Finland.

  • 2026.

    • Amos Rex. Generation 2026. Helsinki, Finland.

    • Taidelaitos Haihatus. Rhizome. Joutsa, Finland.

    2025.

    • HIAP Gallery Augusta. Unfolding Island Ecologies. Suomenlinna, Finland.

    • Väre. Cooler Planet: Living Panel. Espoo, Finland.

    • Väärätalo.Välillä Väärässä. Imatra, Finland.

    • Marsio Studio. Artistic Research Doctoral School of Aalto University’s AeRaTe. Espoo, Finland.

    2024.

    • Gallery Napa. Drawing Exhibition at the Arctic Circle. Rovaniemi, Finland.

    • Gallery Kesäkellari.Helsinki. Helsinki, Finland.

    • Toinen Silmä.Symbioscenery. Helsinki, Finland.

    • *Vallilan Panimo Gallery.Electronic Waves of Buzz. Helsinki, Finland.

    • Yö Galleria.Uudet Vanhat Frendit. Helsinki, Finland.

    • Natural Resonance Festival. Video & Film Festival. Based in the USA.

    2023.

    • *Himmelblau Gallery. RAW. Tampere, Finland.

    • Kaapelitehdas.HIAA Fest. Helsinki, Finland.

    • Galleria Rajatila.Rajataiteen Myyntinäyttelyn. Tampere, Finland.

    • Post Office Projects Gallery.Horizonites. Port Adelaide Enfield, Australia.

    • NiMAC (Nicosia Municipal Arts Centre).The Nicosia Festival. Nicosia, Cyprus.

    • Villa Graziani. PhygitArt. San Giustino, Italy.

    • *Purkutaidetalo.Pinni47: Dust Bunnies. Tampere, Finland.

    • Outo Olo Space.Catalysti’s Annual Exhibition. Helsinki, Finland.

    • Kanneltalo Gallery. Polku. Helsinki, Finland.

    • Verhoomo Vuosaari.Ancestral Futures. Helsinki, Finland.

    • Yö Galleria.Häppi shuu. Helsinki, Finland.

    • Yö Galleria.Carnival. Helsinki, Finland.

    • CICA Museum.Visual Culture 2023. Gimpo, South Korea.

    • Millepiani Exhibition Space.Progress On Contemporary and Future Society. Rome, Italy.

    • Käpylän Kiska.Movie Night. Helsinki, Finland.

    2022.

    • Himmelblau Gallery.Self Surroundings. Tampere, Finland.

    • Delavski dom Trbovlje. DigitalBigScreen: 360. Trbovlje, Slovenia.

    • Musikkitalo.Global Impro Ensemble, Kino Club x Global Fest. Helsinki, Finland.

    • Vapaan Taiteen Tila.Kino ClubXNomads Festival. Helsinki, Finland.

    • Leopoldo Gotuzzo Museum of Art (MALG).Festival de Videoarte SPMAV. Pelotas, Brazil.

    • Cinema Arts Centre. Living Life: Stories of Artists. NY, USA.

    • *YO-Talo.D.A.N.C.E. Tampere, Finland.

    2021.

    • Tehdas108.ARS108. Nokia, Finland.

    • *Delavski dom Trbovlje.DigitalBigScreen: TAMK. Trbovlje, Slovenia.

    2020.

    • Kulttuuritoimitus. Virtual Summer Exhibition. Finland.

  • 2023. Group Exhibition: Water Poems & Liquid Layouts. Väre, Espoo, Finland.

    2022. Group Exhibition: 10x10. Kumppanuustalo Arttel, Tampere, Finland. Curated by Gallery Kyy (Mia Kyllönen & Jemina Knuutinen). December.

    2022. Group Exhibition: Connections. Mediapolis, Tampere, Finland. Curated by Gabriella Presnal. April.

    2022. Video Screening: D.A.N.C.E. YO-Talo, Tampere, Finland. Curated by Yu-Hsuan Yao. April.

    2021. Group Exhibition: Art & Environment. Mediapolis, Tampere, Finland. Curated by Tiiu Baldwin. December.

    2021. Joint Exhibition: Funeral Dance. Hirvitalo (Pispala Contemporary Art Center), Tampere, Finland. 18.9.-10.10.2021.

    2021. Group Exhibition: Coalescence. Arthouse Kehräsaari, Tampere, Finland. Curated by Arsi Keva. November - December.

    2020. Group Exhibition: Visual Arts International Baccalaureate Degree Show. Mattlidens Gymnasium, Espoo, Finland. Curated by Fredrika Auvinen. March.

Publications

Written by me:

2025.

  • Hybrid Environments: Multi-Agent Pedagogies. Article included in zine from Goldsmiths History of Art students. London, UK.

2024.

  • Torso Lehti. No Winter Maintenance: Watermelon Installation. Espoo, Finland.

2023.

2022.

Featured in:

2023 - New Media Art 2024. CICA Museum. Seoul, Korea.

2023 - NO NIIN Volume 2: Long Before Justice. (When Home Follows You Home: A Review of Anssi Kasitonni’s Speed Records selected to be apart of the volume).

2023 - Taide-lehti. Lopputyö vai työn alku: Raaka Menoa. Issue 2 of 2023. Finland. Written by Pessi Rautio. (RAW Exhibition).

2023 - LoosenArt. Progress. On Contemporary and Future Society. Exhibition Catalog.

2022 - Nuori Taide - Lasten ja nuorten taidekeskuksen säätiö.

2021 - Aamulehti. Korona-aika oli hurja tuottajakoulu. Tampere, Finland.

2021 - Nokian Uutiset. ARS108 ensimmanäistä kertaa nokialla. Nokia, Finland.

2021 - DFG Saksalailais Suomalainen Seura ry. Nokia: Kunst in alten Fabrikhallen.

2021 - Helmet. Pop up community art station. Helsinki, Finland.

2020 - LUX Skanssi. LUX Skanssi tuo valoa. Turku, Finland.

2020 - Kaupunkimedia Aamuset. LUX Skanssi valaisee ja somistaa kauppakeskuksen. Turku, Finland.

2020 - Kulttuuritoimitus. Kasvoja karanteenista! Finland.

2019 - Demi. Maalaan tarinat näkyviin. Issue 10/2019. Helsinki, Finland.