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 Amos Rex, Seinäjoki Taidehalli as the Summer Artist 2026, HIAP’s Galleria Augusta, Himmelblau Galleria, ArtOulu2026, Musiikkitalo, the Kaisaniemi Botanical Gardens’ Greenhouse, and more. They have also had works exhibited internationally in countries such as Australia, Brazil, Cyprus, Denmark, Italy, Korea, Slovenia, and the U.S.
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.
Education2023 – 2026. Masters in Art & Design (MA). Nordic Masters in Visual Studies and Art Education,
Aalto University, Department of Art and Design, Espoo, Finland.
2023 – 2026. Masters of Arts (MA). Nordic Masters in Visual Studies and Art Education.
Aalborg University, Department of Communication and Psychology, Copenhagen, Denmark.
2020 – 2023 (graduated 1 yr early). Bachelor of Culture and Arts (BA). Media and Arts degree program
(Fine Arts study path), Tampere University of Applied Sciences, Tampere, Finland.
Awarded Graduation Stipend Scholarship for academic performance.
Solo & Duo Exhibitions2026. Seinäjoki Taidehalli’s Itikka. Meadow Pods (kesäkuvataiteilja). Seinäjoki, Finland
MUU Ikkuna / Window. Trajectories. Helsinki, Finland.
2025. Beast Residency. Open Studio (residency pop-up). Bornholm, Denmark.
Kaisaniemi Greenhouses. COMPOST. Helsinki, Finland.
2024. Galleria Ars Liberia. KEIJU (ISH). Kuopio, 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.
2020.Skanssi Shopping Center. Lux Skannsi Light Festival: Harmony. Turku, Finland.
2019.Utua Brand Shop. Genuine Expression. Helsinki, Finland.
Selected group exhibitions, festivals, screenings2026. Amos Rex. Generation 2026. Helsinki, Finland.
Taidelaitos Haihatus. Rihmasto / Rhizome. Joutsa, Finland.
2025. HIAP Gallery Augusta. Unfolding Island Ecologies. Suomenlinna, Finland.
Lou Galleria. Similar Ground. Helsinki, Finland.
Aalto University Marsio Studio. Artistic Research Doctoral School of Aalto University’s AeRaTe. Espoo, Finland.
Helsinki Central Library Oodi. What Remains / Mitä Jää. Helsinki, Finland.
Aalto University Väre. Designs For A Cooler Planet: Living Panel. Espoo, Finland.
Väärätalo. Välillä Väärässä. Imatra, Finland.
2024. Gallery Napa. Drawing Exhibition at the Arctic Circle. Rovaniemi, Finland.
Penthouse Kollektiivi’s Gallery Kesäkellari. HELSINKI. Helsinki, Finland.
Toinen Silmä. Symbioscenery. Helsinki, Finland.
2023. Himmelblau Gallery. RAW. Tampere, Finland.
Post Office Projects Gallery. Horizonites. Port Adelaide Enfield, Australia.
NiMAC (Nicosia Municipal Arts Centre). The Nicosia Open Up Festival. Nicosia, Cyprus.
Villa Graziani. PhygitArt. San Giustino, Italy.
Purkutaidetalo. Pinni47: Dust Bunnies. Tampere, Finland.
Outo Olo Space. Catalysti’s Annual Exhibition. Helsinki, Finland.
Verhoomo Vuosaari. Ancestral Futures. Helsinki, Finland.
CICA Museum. Visual Culture 2023. Gimpo, South Korea.
2022. Himmelblau Gallery. Self Surroundings. Tampere, Finland.
Delavski dom Trbovlje. DigitalBigScreen: 360. Trbovlje, Slovenia.
Musiikkitalo. 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.
2021. Tehdas108. ARS108. Nokia, Finland.
Delavski dom Trbovlje. DigitalBigScreen. Trbovlje, Slovenia.
2020. Kulttuuritoimitus. Virtual Summer Exhibition. Finland.
Residencies2027. Creative Industry Košice. The Position of Craft in the Modern World. Košice, Slovakia.
2026. Arebyte, Finnish Culture Institute in UK and Ireland, M-Cult. Recoding Realities. London, UK.
2025. Beast Residency. Bornholm, Denmark.
City of Imatra, KONE, & Aalto University. Välillä Väärässä. Imatra, Finland.
Kunsthaus Jägermeister. Sustainable Art & Waste Culture. Helsinki, Finland.
Performances2026. Seinäjoki Taidehalli. Performanssikesäklubi: Meadow Pods. Seinäjoki, Finland.
Forum Box. Memory Wash. Helsinki, Finland.
ArtOulu2026. Memory Wash. Oulu, Finland.
Provinssi. Seinäjoki Taidehalli: Meadow Pods. Seinäjoki, Finland.
2025. HIAP Gallery Augusta. Memory Wash. Suomenlinna, Finland.
Awards & Grants2026. Art Council Korea (ARKO). Ape Camp: Further co-ideation funding. South Korea.
2025. Amos Anderson Fund (Konstsamfundet). Generation 2026. Finland.
Aalto University. Aalto / Unite! Student Artwork Competition Honorable Mention. Espoo, Finland.
2023. City of Helsinki. Stipend for Emergent Properties Exhibition (Caisa Gallery). Helsinki, Finland.
The Finnish Cultural Foundation. Expenditure Grant for undergraduate thesis group degree show RAW, awarded to Gabriella Presnal & Working Group. Tampere, Finland.
2022. DigitalBigScreen2022. 360 Third Place Prize, Trbovlje, Slovenia.
2020. City of Espoo. Awarded Stipend Awards for Visual Arts.
Press Interviews & Article Features2026. Ilkka Pohjalainen. Seinäjoella juhlitaan rikkomalla (Press interview). Seinäjoki, Finland.
Taide-lehti. Generation 2026 avaa verhoa nuorten maailmaan. Issue 2 of 2026 (Artwork Feature). Finland.
Epari. Nyt saa rikkoa taidetta (Press interview). Seinäjoki, Finland.
2023. NO NIIN. Volume 2: Long Before Justice (Featured Written Review).Helsinki, Finland.
Taide-lehti. Lopputyö vai työn alku: Raaka Menoa. Issue 2 of 2023. Finland.
2021. Nokian Uutiset. ARS108 ensimmanäistä kertaa nokialla (Artwork Feature). Nokia, Finland.
2019. Demi. Maalaan tarinat näkyviin (Press interview). Issue 10/2019. Helsinki, Finland.
Publications2026. Aalto University - AaltoDocs. Nordic Art Education’s Hope Labor. Espoo, Finland.
Aalborg University. Nordic Art Education’s Hope Labor. Copenhagen, Denmark.
2025. Goldsmiths University. Hybrid Environments - Zine Publication, Article Writer. London, UK.
2024. Copenhagen Photo Festival. Artists Archive 2025: Solo Artist Feature Articles, Writer. Copenhagen, Denmark.
Torso Magazine. No Winter Maintenance, Article Writer. Espoo, Finland.
CICA Museum. New Media Art 2024, Article Writer. Gimpo, South Korea.
2023. Salarakas. Issue #39, Editor, Coordinator, & Illustrator. Helsinki, Finland.
Theseus. Becoming Queer Nomad, Writer. Tampere, Finland.
2022. NO NIIN. Issue 14. When Home Follows You Home, Review Writer. Finland.
Pedagogical Projects2026. Seinäjoki Taidehalli. Meadow Pod Workshops. Seinäjoki, Finland.
2025. Climate University for Virtual Exchanges (CLUVEX). Workshop Moderator. Remote.
Space21. Hope Zines Workshop. Espoo, Finland.
2024. Taidekoulu Maa. Guest Lecturer. Helsinki, Finland.
Toinen Silmä. Symbioscenery Workshops Art Educator. Helsinki, Finland.
Torso Magazine. No Winter Maintenance Editorial Team. Espoo, Finland.
2023. Art for All Festival. Bird House Painting Workshop Assistant. Helsinki, Finland.
2022. Nuori Taide. What are NFTs? Infographic series co-created with Soyoung Chung. Finland
2021. Helsinki Central Library Oodi. Creating A City Community Art Station Organizer. Helsinki, Finland.
2018. SuomiAreena & C More. Event & Workshop Assistant. Pori, Finland.
Symposium Presentations & Participation2026. Arts Council Korea (ARKO). Artists, Producers, and Engineers Camp Participant. Seoul, South Korea.
2025. Pohjola-Nordenin Nuorisoliitto (PNU). Nordic Youth Movement,Steering Group. Helsinki, Finland.
Northern Council for Global Cooperation. UNLEASH Hack Canada. Whitehorse, Yukon, Canada.
European Commission. Youth Policy Dialogue Participant. Nova Gorica, Slovenia, & Gorizia, Italy.
2024. Pohjola-Nordenin Nuorisoliitto (PNU). Nordic Youth Movement Participant. Copenhagen, Denmark.
Urbanapa. #STOPHATREDNOW: Youth, curating, and leadership Panelist. Helsinki, Finland.
PUBLICS. PUBLICS Youth TAKEOVER 2024 Panelist. Helsinki, Finland.
Aalborg University. Hackathon: Impact on Sydhavn, first-place group. Copenhagen, Denmark.
2023. PUBLICS. Nordic Youth Symposium 2023 Panelist. Oslo, Norway.
CICA Museum. International Symposium for Visual Culture 2023 Speaker. Gimpo, South Korea.
2021. Tampere University. Sustainability x eQuality Hackathon Participant. Tampere, Finland.
Commissions & Other Projects2025. MIMIR. Deep Dive - Commissioned Artist. Espoo, Finland.
2024. SRI Congress. Sustainability Science Days (SSD) 2024 Commissioned Artist. Helsinki, Finland.
2023. Fotografisk. All the Whisperings of the World - PUBLICS Youth Advisory Board Sound Installation Contributer, Coordinated by Micol Curatolo. Oslo, Norway.
2022. YLE. Pienet Koneet (Tiny Machines) Stop Motion Animator. Tampere, Finland.
Tampere University of Applied Sciences.Connections, Ephemeral, & Realm Curator. Tampere, Finland.