KOOLA window 16.12.2026-6.1.2027
In Bloom
Exhibition visible 24/7 at Pengerkatu 7, Helsinki
Meet the artists
Krista Nokkala
I’m a self-taught artist based in Helsinki, driven by curiosity, a love for experimenting, and a desire to do things my own way. My paintings combine cuteness with a rough edge, bold colors and contrasts, and a little bit of attitude. I don’t feel the need for my work to follow one common theme. I’d rather break the rules, play around, and create whatever I feel like.
Artwork information:
50 × 60 × 2 cm, acrylic on canvas, 2025.
Power Looks Good on Me brings together soft flowers, sharp claws, and absolutely no intention of pleasing anyone.
Price: €450
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/artby.krista
Website: http://www.kristanokkala.com/
Jelena Mohnani
Jelena Mohnani is a self-taught ceramic artist focused on sculptural work exploring the complexity of human experience. Her practice is intuitive and hands-on, using hand-building, sculpting, and carving to create highly detailed, textured forms.
She is drawn to translating emotions, thoughts, and complex inner states into physical form — a direct consequence of early life trauma that has shaped her existence and artistic identity. With her work she aims to contribute to greater awareness of mental health and the importance of expression, offering a sense of release from the burdens and constraints people quietly carry.
Artwork information:
"A million quiet things ", stoneware clay and porcelain sculpture, 2026, 29 x 35x 12 cm.
The fragility exists because of the strength beneath it, and the strength carries the fragility without hiding it. A Million Quiet Things is about the inner world we keep beneath the surface, and about the possibility of release when it is finally given shape.
1300€
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/totusceramics/
Website: http://totus.fi/
Satu Tanninen
The garden and nature captivate me in much the same way as clay does, with their magic of growth, transformation, and beauty—a world I simply cannot stay away from. Wandering through gardens and forests fills my mind with images, colors, and moods that, through my hands, find their way into clay. These impressions inspire me to experiment with different techniques to bring the clay to life.
An object takes shape, one that has spent a long time in my hands and may go on to live for many years in someone else’s hands, admired and bringing joy.
Plants and animals are sources of inspiration for me, both in the shapes and surface textures of my work. Cats and birds, in particular, speak to me. When I think of nature, gardens, and animals, the seasons are almost always part of the picture. I feel deeply connected to the changing seasons, and this connection is reflected both in the themes of my ceramic pieces and in the rhythm of my creative process.
Artwork information:
Nupulla (In Bud) – Sculpture
High-fired clay, glazes, 2024
Height: 30 cm
Price: €90
Instagram: satuceramics
Website: http://www.satuceramics.com
Heli Maja
Heli Maja is a visual artist based in Finland, currently studying at the LAB University of Applied Sciences. Working at the intersection of painting and printmaking, her practice is defined by a strong sense of materiality, an intuitive approach, and the conscious embrace of chance. She builds her painterly works in layers using the monotype method, ensuring that each unique print bears the physical traces of its creation process. For this exhibition open call, she presents a series of vibrant monotypes navigating the borderline between representational and abstract art. The works engage with contrasting formats and intense color palettes: one piece features a rich red base layered with a thick impasto-like white mark, yellow, and blue on an elongated, unframed sheet of paper. The other is an orange-red composition detailed with black dots and eye-like forms, presented within an inset frame.
Alongside her monotypes, Maja explores posthumanist philosophy in her latest experimental body of work, engaging in active collaboration with the natural environment. In this separate project, she has placed papers directly into the mires of Valkmusa National Park, allowing the moss, moisture, and terrain to leave their own spontaneous marks on the material, transforming the landscape into a co-creator.
Maja is currently pursuing her Bachelor of Culture and Arts (LAB UAS) and has further developed her artistic expression by working as an assistant intern within the contemporary art field. Her work has previously been featured in exhibitions and projects with Galleria Kookos, Toinen Silmä, and curated platforms by The Blue Verve.
Artwork information:
Resting Period, monotype, 25 x 25cm, 2026
Instagram: @heli.maja
Lara Pullola
I'm Lara Pullola, an artist based in Helsinki. I study Visual Communication Design at Aalto University, where I explore and combine the intersections of textiles, fashion, visual communication, and photography.
Alongside fashion and photography, I'm passionate about oil painting, soundscapes, and deeply philosophical storytelling that resonates on an emotional level. My visual world often explores themes rooted in different emotions, such as sensitivity, strength, and uncertainty. I want viewers to feel a deep connection with my work and find a quiet sense of understanding and solidarity through it.
Artwork information: Pain of Becoming
A photographic artwork exploring the growing pains of becoming. Beautiful, yet touching in its fleeting nature.
We are constantly living in a moment that is forever unpredictable. This can feel heartbreaking and overwhelming, but also full of possibility and reward. We each choose our own way of accepting the present moment.
40 × 27.7 cm, fine art print on hemp paper
Instagram: @larapullola & @aletaarchive
Website: http://larapullolaportfolio.cargo.site
Skylar Graves
Skylar Graves is a Finnish-American visual artist who creates art and media across a wide range of disciplines.
Graves is fascinated by different objects, people, and phenomena. In these works, Graves explores representations of fertility through form, rhythm, and personal imagination.
Artwork information:
Expand
In this work, Graves explores the representation of fertility through form, rhythm, and personal imagination.
Acrylic on canvas, 40 × 40 × 2 cm, 2026
Not for sale.
Instagram: @skylart333