Heidi Gabrielsson is a Helsinki-based Finnish visual artist who studied media arts at the Tampere University of Applied Sciences and graphic design at Aalto University, where she also did minor studies in visual journalism. She studied exchange at KHM Academy of Media Arts Cologne and Shenyang Jiangzhu University in her early twenties. Visiting China broadened her worldview, as she traveled by train from Helsinki to Hong Kong and spent several months in China concentrating on street photography at the age of 21. Subsequently, smaller journeys have been essential for understanding humanity, stories, and experiences regardless of location. Heidi started working as a creative solopreneur in early 2008 and has performed with clients as a graphic designer and illustrator for over fifteen years. After a long pause, she started working again on fine art photography projects in late 2019. She has recently done also commissioned photography, for example, for The Finnish Broadcasting Company by delivering conceptual key images on their podcast platform, Yle Areena. In personal work, she experiments with playful visual storytelling with a slightly dark, melancholy Scandinavian flavor. Her method is staged photography, where she builds stories from re-arranged experiences and personal notes from life. Being a mother in wayward times and having diverse life experiences has shaped her view of the good life. She frequently makes images with youth, wanting them to see themselves with new eyes and participate in something invigorating. She explores the relationship between the person and the environment in the context of the visual narrative. She often uses the cycle of nature as an element or in the milieu. Heidi often builds components by hand to add a whimsical and authentic layer to her conceptual work. Her central themes are growth, change, and acknowledgment of the unknown.
Personal, fine art and photography work at heidigabrielsson.com
Graphic design and client portfolio coming in 2024 at sorea.fi
Check out photos and a video from photo shoots: