Karoliina Pärnänen is a multidisciplinary Finnish digital designer based in Helsinki, working across digital culture & graphic design, and sound, interested in how emerging technologies shape human perception, behavior, and emotion.
WORK
2026 — ODDfest — Creative Lead
A new culture festival in Helsinki where art, society & creative entrepreneurship collide.
2025 — VR Startup — Creative Director
Building a VR gaming startup together with Anton Tammi and a team of VR developers utilizing both Meta Quest and Apple Vision Pro.
2022–2025 — Slush — Art Director
Head of all design related matters at Slush, Helsinki.
2020 — Margit Lukács & Persijn Broersen — New Media Artist
Internship in Amsterdam: 3D art, web design, coding and research.
2016–now — Kaero — DJ & Curator
- Owner of club concept Alternate Frequency at Club Kaiku, Helsinki
- Flow Festival X Garden (2026) curation & organization
- Host of radio show Ancient Utopias in IDA Radio Helsinki and RRFM Amsterdam
- Performances globally at venues such as De School (NL), KitKat (DE), Garage Noord (NL), Post Bar (FI), Ääniwalli (FI) & Kaiku (FI)
- Performances at festivals such as Flow Festival (FI), Fiber Festival (NL), Kosmos Festival (FI) & Traumburg (DE)
2015–now — Self-employed — Graphic Designer & New Media Artist
Selected clients:
- Starstuff (Unity worldbuilding)
- Henkel (3D animation)
- Lumi Tuomi, artist (publication design)
- Tiia Kasurinen, performance artist (web design & coding)
- Tuomas Rounakari (music album graphic design & production)
- Persijn Broersen & Margit Lukács, artists (3D modeling)
- Anouk Kruithof, artist/photographer (web design, coding, sound)
- Natalia Sliwowska, filmmaker (book design)
- The Gathering / Michael Schmitz, wellness retreat (web design)
- pilateslab-berlin / Anja Kursawe, yoga/pilates (graphic design)
- University of Helsinki, Biotechnology Department (web design)
2012–2014 — Reaktor — Sales Coordinator
- Answering RFIs and RFQs
- In charge of the resource management tool
- Gathering and analyzing information for business intelligence
- Organizing and leading events and trips for Reaktor customers
EDUCATION
2017–2021 — Royal Academy of Art, The Hague (KABK) — BA Graphic Design
Bachelor of Arts, Graphic Design.
2019–2020 — Weißensee Academy of Art Berlin — Erasmus Exchange
Erasmus exchange in Visual Communication.
2016–2017 — Pekka Halonen Academy of Arts — Kuvallisen ilmaisun perustutkinto
Vocational qualification in visual expression.
2016 — Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin — Erasmus Exchange
Erasmus exchange in Business.
2015–2016 — Aalto University — MSc Economics & Business Administration
Information & Service Management. Grade: 5/5.
- Master’s thesis: What Makes a Satisfying User Experience in the Context of Human-Computer Interaction? Grade: 5/5
- Dean’s List Diploma (top 3% of all graduates)
2011–2015 — Aalto University — BSc Economics & Business Administration
Business Technology. Grade: 4/5.
- Bachelor’s thesis: The Affect of Aesthetics on Usability. Grade: 5/5
- Vice President & AD of KY-Ski ry
- Illustrator, editor & photographer for Kylteri magazine
2008–2011 — Lyseo High School — High School Diploma
Grade: E. Diplomas for Psychology & Finnish.
EXHIBITIONS
2024 — Kreislauf — Eight Gallery (DE)
Eight Gallery, Germany, 2024.
2023 — Textures — Traumburg Festival (DE)
Traumburg Festival, Germany, 2023. Related project: Hydra.
2022 — Mutation (Part II) — Fiber Festival (NL)
Fiber Festival, the Netherlands, 2022.
2022 — Niet Meer Normaal — Kunstkerk Utrecht (NL)
Kunstkerk Utrecht, the Netherlands, 2022. Collaboration.
2022 — Universal Tongue — Melkweg Expo (NL)
Melkweg Expo, the Netherlands, 2022. Collaboration.
2021 — On the Necessity of Gardening — Centraal Museum Utrecht (NL)
Centraal Museum Utrecht, the Netherlands, 2021. Collaboration with Persijn Broersen & Margit Lukács. Related project: Fix the Variable, Exclude the Accidental…
2019 — Cinema as a Dream — EYE Filmmuseum (NL)
EYE Filmmuseum, Amsterdam, 2019. Related project: Subliminal Transit.