GABRIELLA PRESNAL

GABRIELLA PRESNAL

Gabriella Presnal is an artist who has primarily worked with mediums such as painting, video, sculpture & installation and has also done projects using 360 videos, AR (Augmented Reality), as well as applied fine arts. At the root of many of their works, there is an ongoing conversation with themself on how they exist within dynamics like relationships, spatiality, land, and culture. Their works are especially inspired by their life experiences such as living in countries like the US, Canada, Sweden, and Finland.

Presnal had their first solo exhibition in 2019 in Helsinki next to the Senate Square during Pride month. In recent, they have most notably exhibited in galleries and festivals such as Himmelblau Gallery, ARS108, Pinni47, Musikkitalo, and more in Southern Finland. As well as internationally in Czong Institute for Contemporary Art (CICA) in Korea, Post Office Projects in Australia, DigitalBigScreen in Slovenia, Leopoldo Gotuzzo Museum of Art (MALG) in Brazil, and other exhibitions in Italy, Cyprus, & New York, USA. This year, they have had solo and duo exhibitions at Yö gallery, Caisa gallery respectively, and have an upcoming solo exhibition at Galleria Ars Liberia in Kuopio (June ‘24).

Presnal has recently graduated with a Bachelor in Media & Art (fine art study path) from Tampere University of Applied Sciences and is continuing their studies at Aalto University & Aalborg University (double degree split each year between the universities) studying a Nordic Master in Visual Studies and Art Education.

  • Nordic Masters in Visual Studies and Art Education (NM NoVA), 2023-2025

    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.

  • 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.

  • 2023 - Tampere University of Applied Sciences. Graduation scholarship stipend.

    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.

    2020 - City of Espoo/Espoon kaupunki Taloushallintokesk. Stipend Awards for Visual Arts & CAS (Creativity, Action, Service). Espoo, FI.

  • 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.

  • 2023 - Present. HIAA. General member. Helsinki, Finland.

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

    2023 - Present. Global Art Point. General member. Helsinki, Finland.

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

    2022 - 2024. Yö Galleria / Yö ry. General member. Helsinki, Finland.

  • 2023. All the Whisperings of the World - Alternative audio descriptions sound installation. Oslo, Norway.

    2023. Pinni47. “Strawberry Fields” Painted Photo Stand-In, 2x3m. Tampere, Finland.

    2023. International Symposium for Visual Culture (ISVC) 2023. Presenter. CICA Museum, Gimpo, Korea.

    2022. Nuori Taide - Lasten ja nuorten taidekeskuksen säätiö. Co-Creator for What is NFT? Social media campaign. Espoo, Finland.

    Working with Soyoung Chung, we created social media infographics on the basics of NFTs. My primary task was designing slides of examples of how they have been used in contemporary art / fine arts. I included examples like the Etheral NFT exhibition in Stockholm Fotografiska, Helsinki Design Week (Digital Village), Sebastian Schultz’s paintings from Finlayson Art Area in Tampere, Marina Abromović recent NFT launch, as well as Helsinki’s Struggle Lab. I also included a slide on the negative aspects of NFTs.

    2021. Helsinki Central Library Oodi. Pop-up Community-Based Art Project: Creating A City. Organized by Gabriella Presnal. Helsinki, Finland.

    I organized a pop-up station at Oodi where library on-goers could draw what inspires them about the future. I received around 500 drawings and I later created a collage from them.

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.

Exhibitions

  • 2024. Solo Exhibition: Untitled. Galleria Ars Liberia. Kuopio, Finland. June.

    2023. Our Place. Yö Galleria. Helsinki, Finland.

    2023. Duo Exhibition with Kristian Presnal: Emergent Properties. Kulttuurikeskus Caisa Gallery. Helsinki, Finland. August.

    2023. Duo Exhibition with Emily Laakso: Sticky Fingers (Pinni47). Purkutaidetalo, Tampere, Finland. Festival curated by Teemu Mäenpää. June - July: 21.6-2.7.23.

    2023. Queer Web. Vapaakaupungin Galleria, Helsinki, Finland. June: 1.6-22.6.23 - part of the Helsinki Pride Month (June) program.

  • 2023. Square. Round Kallio, Helsinki, Finland.

    2023. HIRED: Out At Work. Epicenter, Helsinki, Finland.

    2020. Harmony. Lux Skannsi Light Festival. Skanssi Shopping Center. Turku, Finland. October.

    2019. Genuine Expression. Utua Brand Shop, Aleksanterinkatu 36, Helsinki, Finland. June.

  • 2024. Uudet Vanhat Frendit (New Old Friends). 15.3-24.3.24. Yö Galleria. Helsinki, Finland.

    2023. Catalysti’s Annual Exhibition. Outo Olo Space. Helsinki, Finland.

    2023. The Nicosia Festival. NiMAC (Nicosia Municipal Arts Centre). Nicosia, Cyprus. October 19-22, 2023.

    2023. Carnival. Yö Galleria. Helsinki, Finland. October 12-20, 2023.

    2023. PhygitArt. Villa Graziani, San Giustino, Italy.

    2023: Pinni47: TAMK FINE ART Dust Bunnies. Purkutaidetalo, Tampere, Finland. Festival curated by Teemu Mäenpää. June - July: 7.6-30.7.23.

    2023: Polku (Path). Kanneltalon Galleriassa / Kanneltalo Gallery, Helsinki, Finland. June: 3.-29.6.2023

    2023. Fog is a cloud that touches the ground: Ancestral Futures. Verhoomo Vuosaari, Helsinki, Finland. Curated by Aalto Vicca Students: Erika Cardenasmanz, Jade Lönnqvist, Amy Merigo, Martina Šerešová, Mana Tashakorinia, Lau Kaker. May: 18.5-21.5.23.

    2023. Happi Shü. Yö Galleria. Helsinki, Finland. March - April: 30.3-9.4.23.

    2023. Visual Culture 2023. Czong Institute for Contemporary Art (CICA), Gyeonggi-do, South Korea. March - April: 15.3-2.4.23.

    2023. RAW. Himmelblau Gallery. Tampere, Finland. Curated by Fanni Niemi-Junkola & Sari Tervaniemi. March: 11.3-26.3.23.

    2023. Horizonites. Post Office Projects. Port Adelaide Enfield, Australia. Curated by Chantelle Mitchell & Jaxton Waterhouse. February - March. 1.2-9.3.23.

    2023. Progress: On Contemporary and Future Society. Millepiani Exhibition Space. Rome, Italy. Curated by LoosenArt. January.

    2022. Self Surroundings. Himmelblau Gallery. Tampere, Finland. December - January.

    2021. ARS108. Tehdas 108, Nokia, Finland. Curated by Veera Salmio.

  • 2022. Multidisciplinary Screening: Global Impro Ensemble, Kino Club x Global Fest. Musikkitalo, Helsinki, Finland. December.

    2022. Video Festival: Festival de Videoarte SPMAV (Seminário de Pesquisa do Mestrado em Artes Visuais) 2022. Leopoldo Gotuzzo Museum of Art (MALG). Pelotas, Brazil.

    2022. Multidisciplinary Screening: Kino ClubXNomads Festival 2022. Vapaan Taiteen Tila, Helsinki, Finland. September.

    2022. Video Festival: DigitalBigScreen 2022. Trbovlje, Slovenia. Curated by Barbara Jazbec.

    2021. Video Festival: DigitalBigScreen 2021. Trbovlje, Slovenia. Curated by Barbara Jazbec. TAMK 2021 category.

  • 2023. HIAA Fest. Kaapelitehdas. Helsinki, Finland.2023.

    Rajataiteen Myyntinäyttelyn. Galleria Rajatila, Tampere, Finland.

  • 2024. Natural Resonance Festival. Based in the USA. January.

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

    2021. Group Virtual Exhibition: Unity. TAMK Kunstmatrix. Tampere, Finland. Curated by Janna Lindfors.

    2021. Group Virtual Exhibition: Check Out. Tampere, Finland. Curated by Mia Kyllönen & Soyoung Chung.

    2020. Group Virtual Exhibition: Stay Creative & Stay Alive. Future Art Kunstmatrix. Based in Berlin, Germany. Curated by Future Art.

    2020. Group Virtual Exhibition: Kulttuuritoimitus Virtual Summer Exhibition. Finland.

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

    2023. Video Screening: Movie Night. Organized by Katoava. Käpylän Kiska, Helsinki, Finland. August.

    2022. Group Exhibition: Living Life: Stories of Artists. Cinema Arts Centre, Huntington, NY, USA. Curated by Anu Annam & Hayley Ferber. November - December.

    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:

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

2023 - Salarakas Issue #39. Helsinki, Finland.

2023 - Theseus. Becoming Queer Nomad: Transforming Spatiality Through Artivism and Subverting Visual Cultures. Tampere, Finland.

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).

2022 - NONIIN. When Home Follows You Home: A Review of Anssi Kasitonni’s Speed Records. Issue 14. Helsinki, Finland.