Inari Sandell is a multidisciplinary visual artist based in Helsinki. Their lens-based and sculptural practice often takes form as installations, combining photography and moving image with textile, metal and castings.
Sandell's recent work takes on histories of psychiatric disciplinary systems that have shaped common narratives related to neurodiversity, striving to challenge and unlearn normative societal frameworks and expectations for bodily and cognitive abilities.
Sandell's work has been exhibited internationally in galleries, museums and festivals including Fundació Joan Miró: Espai 13, UKS Oslo, Hafnarborg Centre of Culture and Fine Art, the Finnish Cultural Institute in New York, Titanik, SIC, Photographic Centre Peri, Exhibition Laboratory Helsinki and Athens Photo Festival. Sandell graduated from the Time and Space Arts MFA programme at Uniarts Helsinki in 2023.
2024
"On Butterfly Logic" (Screening), Lou, Helsinki
"Butterfly Logic", Espai 13, Fundació Joan Miró, Barcelona
2021
"Gravity Blanket", Titanik, Turku
2016
“Life Be Like”, Photographic Centre Peri, Turku
2025
“Under Pressure”, Tallinn Art Hall, Tallinn
“Lapinlahti Film Festival”, screening, Helsinki
"Earthliness. Sensing the fragile real", SÍM Hlöðuloftið, Reykjavík
"Above and Under", screening, Cinema Orion, Helsinki
"showroom #2", Mad House, Helsinki, curated by Remi Vesala
"On Butterfly Logic" (screening), PIAR, Kumasi, Ghana
2024
"On Butterfly Logic" (screening), Titanik, Turku
"Solstice festival", commissioned work, Ruka, Finland
"Lush", Spring Roll festival, Cité internationale des arts, Paris
2023
"Moon in Your Mouth", UKS, Oslo
"Lunglike Shadows", Arnarhlíd 1, Reykjavik
"Uncanny Virtuality", Hafnarborg Centre of Culture and Fine Art, Hafnarfjörður
"Empathy Muscle", FCINY, New York
"www/melt/pool, SÍM Korpúlfsstadir, Reykjavik
"Time and Space exhibition vol. 2", Kuva/Tila gallery, Helsinki
2022
"Kuvasta ja sanasta", Kaiku gallery, Helsinki
"XS-festivaali: Softspeed", Kutomo, Turku
"Exercises in Togetherness", FCINY event, New York
"Y-festivaali", Tiivistämö, Helsinki
2021
“Kuvan Kevät 2021”, Exhibition Laboratory, Helsinki
2020
“Sculpture Laboratory”, Tasku gallery, Helsinki
2019
“Purpuritanssi”, SIC, Helsinki
“What is This Stuff?”, Uusix Kyläsaari, Helsinki
2017
“The Turku Artists’ Association’s 93rd Annual Exhibition”, Gallery Å, Turku
2016
“Athens Photo Festival Photobook Exhibition”, Benaki Museum, Athens
“13 PERIllistä”, TILA-galleria, Helsinki
“H2Ö Festival”, Turku
”VIRHE / ERROR”, Jukka Male Museum, Helsinki
2015
“Crisis – What Crisis”, Galerie Mitte, Bremen
“Stockfors Art Fair”, Pyhtää
“DEADLINE”, Jukka Male Museum, Helsinki
“20 000 HUF”, Köysiratagalleria, Turku
2014
“Minä, ikuisesti” – joint exhibition together with Mortti Saarnia, B-galleria, Turku
“Contemporary Self-Portraits", Köysiratagalleria, Turku
2023
Master of Fine Arts (MFA) in Time and Space Arts, Academy of Fine Arts, University of the Arts Helsinki
2020
Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Media Studies, University of Turku
2016
Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) in Photography, Arts Academy at Turku University of Applied Sciences
2015
Erasmus studies in Fine Arts, Illustration and Integrated Design, University of the Arts Bremen
2025
SÍM artist residency, Reykjavik
Artist residency, Källskär, Åland
2023
SÍM artist residency, Reykjavik
2022
FIDA artist residency, Copenhagen
HUS Arts Collection, Helsinki
Finnish Arts Society (Suomen Taideyhdistys)
Wäinö Aaltonen Museum, Turku
Benaki museum, Athens
Private collections
Arte ry, board member 2023-
The Association of Photographic Artists (Valokuvataiteilijoiden liitto ry)
AV-arkki, The Centre for Finnish Media Art
Kuvasto ry
2024
One-year artist grant, Arts Promotion Centre, FI
Project grant, Olga ja Vilho Linnamon Säätiö, FI
Project grant, Arts Promotion Centre, FI
Shortlisted for European Investment Bank Institute (EIB) Artists Development Programme
2023
One-year artist grant, The Alfred Kordelin Foundation, FI
Project grant, Arts Promotion Centre, FI
Culture Moves Europe mobility grant, Goethe Institute & European Union
2022
Covid support grant, Arts Promotion Centre, FI
2021
Young Artist grant, Finnish Arts Society, FI
Nomination: NBYAA Nordic Baltic Young Artist Award
2020
MFA production grant, Academy of Fine Arts, FI
2015
Exhibition grant for graduating artist, Photographic Centre Peri, FI
2014
Patricia Seppälän Säätiö, FI
2024
Artist talk, Islands of Kinship & Frame Contemporary Art Finland, Publics, Helsinki
2023
Artist talk, Iceland University of the Arts, Reykjavik
2022
Artist talk, Art School Maa, Helsinki
2016 – 2017
Visiting teacher in Photography, Paasikivi-Opisto, Turku
2015
Artist talk, Åbo Akademi
2014
Artist talk at “#snapshot” exhibition, The Finnish Museum of Photography
2018
”Joki, jota ei voi koskettaa” by Julius Töyrylä for Photographic Centre Peri, Turku
2017
”TOO MUCH” video screening for Photographic Centre Peri, curated together with Hertta Kiiski