Ulla Karttunen

Basic information

b. 1956, Valtimo

Visual Artist

Residence: Turku, Joensuu, Paris

Contact information

Phone number: +358415461454

Email: bgbgparis@yahoo.com

Show biography

Current information

recent publications:

Artwork for book cover: Øyvind Bordal: Slangens evangelium, BlueOceanMedia 2025

Exhibition catalogue: Little Treasures, Galleria d’Arte de Marchi, Bologna, Trevisan International Art 2025

Book/catalogue Hiljaisuuden lumous (on the exhibition Manifest of Stillness (March 21 – May 18, 2025) at the Mikkeli Art Museum, Mikkeli), BGBG 2025

Article ”Ulla Karttunen: Pioneering Perspectives in Contemporary Art” by Angela Li at Aatonau! platform https://aatonau.com/ulla-karttunen-pioneering-perspectives-in-contemporary-art/

Publication Vogue Manhattan, a special issue of Vogue USA April 2024 presents a selection of contemporary art collaborated by Artifact Projetcs NYC. Ulla Karttunen is one of the displayed artists, with her work of rainbow saints.

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recent exhibitions:

Thomson Gallery, digital display by Artboxy, Zug, Switzerland, CH, January 1–31, 2026

Spectrum Miami, Mana Wynwood Convention Center, Miami, USA, December 3–7, 2025

Little Treasures, Galleria d’Arte de Marchi, curated by Paola Trevisan, organised by Trevisan International Art, Bologna, IT, November 22 –December 12, 2025

Cologne Art Unframed, Greatlive Loftlocation, Cologne/Köln, DE, November 5–8, 2025

Salon international d’art contemporain Art Shopping Paris, Carrousel du Louvre, Paris FR, October 17–19, 2025

SwissArtExpo, SBB Event Hall, Central Railway Station, Zürich CH, August 20–24, 2025

Art Santa Fe, Contemporary Art and Design Fair, Santa Fe Community Convention Center, Santa Fe, USA, July 11–13, .2025

Dreams of Matter, organised by Tapropane Art (London) and curated by Rossocinabro Gallery (Rome), Impact Hub, Rome IT, May 9–22, 2025

Artexpo New York, Pier 36, New York, USA April, 3–6, 2025

Hiljaisuuden manifesti | Manifest of Stillness, group exhibition, Mikkelin taidemuseo, Mikkeli Art Museum, Mikkeli FI, March 21 – May 18, 2025

Madrid Art Station, by Contemporary Art Station, Nuevos Ministerios metro station, Madrid, March 1–31, 2025

Exhibition: 7 Deadly Sins, Espace Vision’Art, Paris, FR, October 22–26, 2024

Exhibition: Lacda Reboot and Reunion, Los Angeles Center for Digital Art, Los Angeles, USA, October 3–26, 2024

Art fair: EuropArtFair Amsterdam, Westergasfabriek Gashouder, Amsterdam, NL, September 6–8, 2024

Art fair: SwissArtExpo 2024, SBB Event hall, Central Railway Station, Zürich, CH, August 21–25, 2024

Art fair: Artexpo Basel, Tinguely Platform Luminator, EuroAirport Basel, Basel, CH, June 13–16, 2024

Exhibition: VOGUE DIGITAL, Artifact Projects, New York, USA April 10–28, 2024

Exhibition: Biennale Artbox Expo Venezia 2.0, Cipriarte Gallery, Venice, IT April 10–30, 2024

Art fair: ArtExpo New York, Pier 36, New York, USA April 4–7, 2024

Exhibition: POP, DEATH & CRYWANKS: 100th exhibition of Turku Artists’ Association. curator Susinukke Kosola, Iso Galleria, Turun Taidehalli / Turku Kunsthalle, Turku, FI 2024

Exhibition: Siirappia / Syrup, Helsinki Artists’ Association Art Lending Office’s Christmas exhibition, Helsinki, FI 2023–2024

Art fair: Spectrum Miami, Mana Wynwood Convention Center, Miami, USA 2023

Exhibition: The Eternal Feminine / O Eterno Feminino – Art’in Lima 2023, International Contemporary Art Exhibition, Museum of Terceiros & Chapel of Pereiras, Ponte de Lima, PT 2023

Exhibition: Sateenkaaren alla / Under the Rainbow: summer exhibition of The Helsinki Artists’ Association Art Lending, Helsinki, FI 2023

Exhibition: Wiurilan kesä: Ajan alkemia / Wiurila’s Summer: The Alchemy of Time, Wiurilan kartano / Wiurila Manor, Halikko, FI 2023

Exhibition: Artbox Expo New York 2.0, SoHotel Art Space Gallery, New York, USA 2023

Exhibition: Welcome Spring, Galleria Il Leone, Rome, IT 2023

Exhibition: Firenze Contemporary, (international contemporary art exhibition organised by Rossocinabro Gallery, Rome), ArtArt – Armando Xhomo Gallery, Florence IT 2023

Exhibition: Toivo / Hope: Christmas exhibition of The Helsinki Artists’ Association Art Lending, Helsinki, FI 2022-2023

Exhibition: Miami 3.0 Artbox Expo, Miami, USA

Exhibition: Palma 1.0, Casa del Arte, Palma, Mallorca, ES 2022

Exhibition/art fair: Swiss Art Expo, SBB Event Hall, Central Railway Station, Zürich, CH 2022

Exhibition: Biennale Artbox Expo, Tana Art Space, Venice, IT, 2022

Online-exhibition: Femina – 2022, Gallerium & Biafarin platform, 2022

Exhibition: Urbanside Gallery, Zürich, CH, 2022

Exhibition: Väriä pimeyteen / Color in the Dark, Gallery Katariina, Helsinki 2021–2022

Exhibition: Premio Internazionale Città di New York, White Space Chelsea, New York, USA, 2021

Exhibition: Swiss Art Expo, SBB Event Hall, Central Railway Station, Zürich, CH, 2021

Exhibition: Galleria Katariinan avajaisnäyttely / Opening of Gallery Katariina, Helsingin Taiteilijaseura/ Helsinki Artists’ Association, Galleria Katariina, Helsinki, FI, 2021

Exhibition: Barcelona 1.0, Valid World Hall Gallery, Barcelona, ES, 2021

Exhibition: Taide tahtoo teille! Galleria Aarni, Helsinki, Espoo & Vantaa Artists’ Associations, Espoo, FI, 2021

Exhibition: Artbox.project World 1.0, online exhibition on Artsy, digital exhibition Artbox Gallery, Zürich CH January 4 – June 30, 2021

Exhibition: Art in the time of Coronavirus and Social Distancing, online exhibition and art contest curated by Myrina Tunberg Georgiou, organised by the Circle Foundation of Arts, Lyon FR, November 2020 – January 2021 https://circle-arts.com/annex-art-and-pandemic/

Art fair: ADAF / Annual Dutch Art Fair. World Fashion Centre Amsterdam NL, October 9 – 11, 2020

Digital exhibition: artworks from Artbox.project Barcelona 1.0 (postponed to 2021), Artbox Gallery, Zürich CH, September - November 30, 2020

Art festival: Swiss Art Expo, 20-24.8.2020, SBB Eventhall Zürich Main Station

Exhibition: Art in Time of Emergency, collective online exhibition at Artsy, organised by Immagini Spazio Arte (Cremona, Italy) ja Secret Art Society (London, Milan, Cremona) 27.3.-6.6.2020

Exhibition: Alchemic Body: fire / air / water / earth, THE LINE Contemporary Art Space, London GB 20.12.2019-31.01.2020

Exhibition: Helsinki Artists’ Association Christmas Exhibition / Helsingin Taiteilijaseuran joulunäyttely, Gallery Katariina, Helsinki FI 4.12.-29.12.2019

Art festival: Swiss Art Expo, SBB Eventhall Zürich Main Station, Zürich CH 15.08.-19.08.2019. Exhibition: Artbox Gallery, Zürich, September-November 2019

Exhibition/ art festival: Artistic Eco-Logics on the Channel, Festival dos Canais, Galeria da Antiga Capitania do Porto de Aveiro, Aveiro PT 17-21.7.2019

Solo exhibition in a museum in Rome: Donna Fatale: metamorphoses of the modern, (curated by Sveva Manfredi Zavaglia), Museo Crocetti, Roma IT 28.6.-11.7.2019

Exhibition: Open Source, Los Angeles Center for Digital Art LACDA, Los Angeles USA 13.6.-6.7.2019

Solo exhibition: Donna Fatale, Galleria Uusi Kipinä /Kirnu, Lahti FI 29.5.-20.6.2019

Art fair: Art Fair Suomi '19, Cable Factory, Helsinki FI 23.5-26.5.2019

Exhibition: Bela Biennial, Biennial of European and Latin American Contemporary Art, Casa França-Brasil, Rio de Janeiro BR 21.3-5.5.2019

Exhibition: Manifesto of Stillness / Hiljaisuuden manifesti (Jukka Korkeila, Anni Löppönen, Ville Löppönen, Henry Wuorila-Stenberg, Ulla Karttunen), The Hyvinkää Art Museum, Hyvinkää FI 14.12.2018-24.2.2019

Exhibition: Art Below Los Angeles 2018, Grand Union station & Foshay Masonic Lodge, Los Angeles, USA 31.10.-14.11.2018

Exhibition: Syyssalonki - Helsinki Artists' Society's yearly exhibition, Gallery Kanneltalo, Helsinki FI 9.11-29.11.2018

Exhibition: LETHES ART ‘Cartography of Cultures’, Chapel of Pereiras, Ponte de Lima PT 1.7.-30.9.2018

Exhibition: European Artists / Artisti Europei, Rassegna internazionale d’arte contemporanea, Galleria Immagini, Cremona IT 15-28.7.2018

Bela Biennial, Biennial of European and Latin American Contemporary Art: ’Sustainability’ / The Cable Factory, Helsinki FI 26.7.-12.8.2018

Exhibition: Electron Salon, Los Angeles Center for Digital Art LACDA, Los Angeles USA 14.6.-7.7.2018

Exhibition: Art Below Summer Show, The Herrick Gallery, Mayfair, London 26.6.-1.7.2018, Hyde Park Corner tube station, London GB 18.6-1.7.2018

Artbox Project New York 1.0 / Armory artweeks, Stricoff Gallery, New York, USA 5-16.3.2018

Donna Criminale as book cover artwork: Art and the Challenge of Markets 1 & 2, ed. by Victoria Alexander et al., Palgrave Macmillan 2018

Exhibition: Confluences (winners and mentions in the International Contemporary Art Competition by Open Art Miami), Artium Miami Art Gallery, Miami USA 8.12.2017-6.1.2018

Exhibition: Lynx Prize, (selected/finalist artists of the contest), Lokarjeva Galerija, Ajdovšcina SL 17.11.-2.12.2017

Exhibition: Malamegi LAB.8, International Art Contest, Final exhibition, Loft Gallery / Spazio matEr, Rome IT 14.9.-5.10.2017

Success in International art contests:
- honor mention, digital art, Open Art Miami 2017
- selected artists, digital art, Lynx Prize 2017
- finalists, sculpture/installation, Malamegi Lab.8, 2017

Conference: (Un)Making Europe: Capitalism, Solidarities, Subjectivities, 13th ESA Conference, Panteion University, Athens, GR 29.8.-1.9.2017, Lecture: ”The Sexiest Capitalism Ever: A Duckface Selfie of a Trans-Aestheticized Market Economy”

Exhibition: Jatkuvuus/Continuity, Malmitalon galleria, Helsinki FI 31.8.-23.9.2017

Artbox. project Basel 1.0 Eventplatform Luminator, Euroairport, Basel, CH

Exhibition: Mecenavie, Galerie Thuillier, Paris FR 23.6.-6.7.2017

Salon international d’art contemporain Art Shopping, Carrousel du Louvre, Paris FR
9-11.6.2017

Art Fair Suomi ‘17, Cable Factory, Helsinki FI 25-28.5.2017

Exhibition: Art Experience, Galleria Wikiarte, Bologna IT 22.4.-4.5.2017

Exhibition/fair: Artrooms 2017, Melia White House, London, GB 20-23.1.2017

Exhibition: Electron Salon, Los Angeles Center for Digital Art LACDA, Los Angeles, USA 12.1.-18.2.2017

Exhibition: Al-tiba9 / Antithesis: Transgression, The National Museum Bardo, Algiers, DZ, 29.9.-30.10.2016

2016: Installation Donna Criminale wins the Best Project Prize, Taboo, Celeste Network & Gallery Poggiali & Forconi, Florence

Exhibition: ART-MAP “RE-Cognition: Art as Visual Intelligence”, Ponte de Lima, PT July 1 – August 31, 2016

Conference: Aesthetics and Mass Culture, 20th International Congress of Aesthetics, Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea, 24 – 29.7.2016. Paper: The Aesthetics of Seduction: When Economy Goes Aesthetic But Not Always So Beautiful

Exhibition: Taboo, Gallery Poggiali & Forconi, Florence, IT, April, 2016

Exhibition: Manifesto of Silence, Sofia Cultural Centre, Helsinki, FI, April 10 – June 14, 2016

Exhibition: 5000m2 Theatre of Lappeenranta; FI, February 13 – March 27, 2016

Parallax Art Fair, London GB, February 13–14, 2016

Exhibition: Electron Salon, Los Angeles Center for Digital Art LACDA, Los Angeles, USA, December 10, 2015 – January 2, 2016

Art Fair Suomi ‘15, Cable Factory, Helsinki, FI, September 18–20, 2015

Conference: Differences, Inequalities and Sociological Imagination, 12th Conference of the European Sociological Association 2015, Prague, CZ, August 25–28. Paper: The Aesthetics of Seduction: The Capitalist Market as the Body of Desire

Exhibition: Ah!Jo!, The Joensuu Art Museum, Joensuu, FI, March 26 – May 17, 2015

Exhibition: A View to The Collection of The Karelian Culture Promotion Foundation, The Joensuu Art Museum, Joensuu, FI, March 12 – April 12, 2015

new public works:
Pink Sun and Black on Yellow, mural, Health Center lobby, Kitee
Madonna of the Ruby Tears, digital icon, Health Center chapel, Kitee

Book: "Donna Criminale", published 2014

Solo exhibition: Z [like the masked woman Zorrita], Porvoo Art Hall, Porvoo, FI, March 14 – April 6, 2014

Group exhibition: Electron Salon, Los Angeles Center For Digital Art LACDA, Los Angeles, USA, June 12 – July 5, 2014

Conference: Facing an Unequal World, XVIII ISA World Congress of Sociology, Yokohama, JP, 13-19 July 2014; paper: Contemporary Capitalism as an Economics of Seduction: Ethics and Justice Defined by an Aesthetic Principle of Pleasure

Solo exhibition Blinded, Galerie Pleiku, Berlin, May 14 – 26, 2013

Installation Donna Criminale (c. 1000 m2) at the exhibition  With Criminal Energy: Art and Crime in the 21st century , Halle 14, Leipzig, April 28 – July 29, 2012, ACC Galerie, Weimar, August 25 – November 18, 2012

Solo exhibition and international symposium: BLINDFOLD: Censorship, Art and Voluntary Blindness , Gallery Alkatraz, Ljubljana, November 25 - December 9, 2011

Book ”Ulla Karttunen, A Modern Mystic”, Publications of the Joensuu Art Museum 1/2011
Solo exhibition: The Divine: Sanctified Women from a Dark Planet, The Joensuu Art Museum, January 20 – April 3, 2011

Works from the artist

Name of the work: Donna Criminale in Florence

Name of the work: Donna Criminale in Hyvinkää

Name of the work: Donna Criminale in Leipzig

Name of the work: Donna Criminale in Rome

Name of the work: Donna Criminale in Ponte de Lima

Name of the work: Donna Criminale in Algiers

Name of the work: Donna Criminale in Weimar

Name of the work: Donna Criminale in Joensuu

Name of the work: Madonna of the Third and the Fourth Eye

Name of the work: The Red Night II / Punainen yö II

Name of the work: The Red Night I / Punainen yö I

Name of the work: Silent Red Scream / Hiljainen punainen huuto

Name of the work: Thief of the Eye / Silmän varas

Name of the work: Disappearing of the Traces / Jälkien katoamisesta

Name of the work: Thoughtful Person Meditating the Architecture of Justice / Mietteliäs henkilö pohtii oikeuden arkkitehtuuria

Name of the work: Blind Spot Society III

Name of the work: The Madonna of the Apricot and the Snake / Aprikoosin ja käärmeen madonna

Name of the work: Orkideoiva / Orchdizing

Name of the work: Exorbitant! And does not fit in the frames / Kohtuutonta! Eikä mahdu kehyksiin

Name of the work: Blinded IV / Sokaistuja IV

Name of the work: Kuoleman kukkia / Flowers od Death I

Name of the work: Blinded X / Sokaistuja

Name of the work: Donna Criminale: Capitalism as Religion, Market Criticism as Crime (osa/part)

Bio

Ulla Karttunen is an internationally acclaimed contemporary artist, who has focused on digital images, installations and socially critical projects. Her art has been seen recently in eg. London, Rome, Los Angeles, Rio de Janeiro, Zürich, Miami, Basel, Aveiro, New York, Paris, Florence, Algiers, Bologna, Ljubljana, Leipzig and Berlin.

Karttunen is a transdisciplinary avantgarde artist, or a philosopher-artist, who has combined visual and conceptual experiments, pushed boundaries of art by showing it in everyday environments (like in a gallery founded in her bedroom in Paris), or used banal, antiheroic materials like toilet paper, media junk, ketchup or nail polish in her art. Her action aims to question power relations in art and reality, and she has eg. participated in social debates concerning violence against women and pornification of society.

Karttunen’s digital collages have been described as extremely skillful and impressive, called in critiques as ”horrifyingly beautiful”. These digital paintings seem to enflesh mysterious atmosphere and carry symbolistic, surreal and poetic references, but they can also be interpreted as contemporary versions of socially engaged art, treating themes around market-based values, equality, gender, censorship, or blind spots of society. Karttunen has also lectured from these subjects in various international conferences, recentely in eg. Athens, Seoul, Prague, Yokohama, Vienna, and Beijing, and published approximately 200 essays on philosophical questions in art and society. The articles are mostly in Finnish, but also in English, Swedish, German, French, Italian, Polish and Slovenian.

Karttunen’s visual art is documented in three artist monographs. The name of one of these books, ”Ulla Karttunen, A Modern Mystic” (Publications of the Joensuu Art Museum 2011), tells of her artistic inclinations: she is not only an avantgardist or a social critic but could also be seen as a mystic or visual thinker of the digital age.

For her pioneering work in multidisciplinary art, Karttunen was awarded a 5-year artist’s grant from the beginning of 2015. She was the winner in the international contest Celeste Prize Taboo in 2016. In 2017, she was nominated finalist in three international art prizes. In 2019, her wide solo exhibition was presented at an art museum in Rome. In 2020, she was granted State Artist Pension, awarded for outstanding contribution to art and culture.