Kristian Kaarna is a European photographer and cultural organizer who lives in Riogordo, southern Spain. He takes an active part in the life of the town, especially through the Augmenters Cultural Association, which he founded and where he serves as president. Through the association, exhibitions, workshops, and international art projects are created, bringing together local residents and artists from around the world.
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In Kristian’s work, community and intercultural dialogue take center stage. He believes that art can transcend borders and create space for acceptance, friendship, and new encounters. This vision is also strongly reflected in the project Smiling Oulu 26, which he leads as part of the Oulu2026 European Capital of Culture program. The project brings people from different backgrounds together through photography and highlights the stories of minorities and those experiencing loneliness.
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Kristian’s photography combines aesthetic sensitivity with a deep commitment to social impact. He captures landscapes, details of nature, and people, aiming to reveal moments and perspectives that often remain unnoticed. His work conveys the idea that every place, every story, and every person holds significance as part of a shared whole.
KRISTIAN KAARNA
PHOTOGRAPHER
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For him, photography is about noticing the beauty in everyday life. He captures simple moments — a street scene, a detail in nature, or the atmosphere of a place — and shows them from a perspective that might otherwise be overlooked.
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Photography, for him, is also a way of connecting with people and communities. His projects often bring together different cultures and voices, giving space to stories that deserve to be seen. What drives his work is the belief that every place and every person has value, and that images can help us understand and appreciate this more deeply.
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His journey into photography began in 1993 in Paris.
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He had moved to the city in 1989 to study French at the Sorbonne. After completing his language studies, he discovered photography at MJM in 1993, where he learned the fundamentals of analogue black-and-white photography and spent long nights in the darkroom. He was fortunate to study with some of the best teachers.
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The experience of working with film and the magic of the darkroom completely captivated him. Later, he continued his studies at SPEOS, one of the most advanced photography schools, where he was among the first students to explore the digital processes that would soon transform photography worldwide.
Portraits
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He has always been fascinated by the diversity of human faces. From professional models to people in his own village, portraits are a constant source of inspiration for him.
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What matters most to him is the individuality of each person — the expressions, the hidden stories, the unique presence. Through portraits, he seeks to celebrate this richness and make it visible to others.
ONGOING AND PAST EXHIBITIONS
Landscapes
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He finds endless inspiration in the diversity and power of nature. A landscape can be bright and full of color or quiet and almost without it — both carry their own strength.
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For him, photographing landscapes is about paying attention to these contrasts and showing the beauty in nature’s endless variety.
Film Photography & Darkroom
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For him, black-and-white photography holds a special power. Its simplicity and contrasts give images a timeless quality that continues to fascinate him.
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Even in the digital age, he is still drawn to film. The calm beauty of the grey scale adds a sense of depth and timelessness to every image.
SOLO EXHIBITION
MUSEO ETNOLOGICO
RIOGORDO ESPAÑA
2024
Whispers of Winter
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In Whispers of Winter, he captures the silent beauty of northern Finland’s snow-covered forests.
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Heavy branches, deep shadows, and soft light create dreamlike landscapes where nature seems to pause and whisper its quiet stories.
SOLO EXHIBITION
MUSEO ETNOLOGICO
RIOGORDO ESPAÑA
2025
La Ruche
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Kristian Kaarna’s latest exhibition is inspired by La Ruche in Paris — the legendary artists’ residence often called the birthplace of modern art.
During his time there, he immersed himself in its unique atmosphere, where history and creativity still linger in the walls.
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The exhibition reflects both the spirit of the place and his own experience of living and working within this historic hive of art.
SOLO EXHIBITION
MUSEO ETNOLOGICO
RIOGORDO ESPAÑA
2022
Kristian Kaarna’s latest exhibition, Landscapes, debuted at the Ethnographic Museum in Riogordo in late spring 2022 which features large format photographs of landscapes from around the world.
The exhibition marks the Finnish born artist’s first solo exhibition in Axarquia, Andalusia.
SOLO EXHIBITION
NELIMARKKA MUSEUM
ALAJÄRVI FINLAND
2019-2020
Integrated Landscapes presents works by photographer Kristian Kaarna. His exhibition aims to stimulate discussion about the beauty of our own area, nature and its observation and contemplation in the bustle of everyday life.
"Beauty is found in our everyday environment. Sometimes it's hard to see the wonderful nature in places that we know so well. Familiarity can make the landscape boring, but we don't pay enough attention to it."
PROJECT LA RUCHE
PARIS, FRANCE
2019-2020
Kristian Kaarna photographed a Parisian artist's residence La Ruche where many famous artists had once worked. The artist’s residence, once the cradle of modernism, is now closed to outsiders, but Kristian Kaarna was invited to stay and work there.
During his visit, Kristian photographed some current inhabitants of the house, known as the Beehive, and the statues found in the park, as well as the shattered splendour of La Ruche. The photographs of La Ruche were part of the Kristian Kaarna’s Nelimarkka Museum Solo photography exhibition.
THE PRIME MINISTER'S OFFICE joined Kristian Kaarna's project for the 2017 Centennial Year of Independence of Finland
2017-2018
Kristian Kaarna's solo exhibition "Under the blue sky" met the conditions set by Finland 100/ Suomi 100 program, as part of the country’s centenary celebrations around the world.

The exhibition was on display at Frame Gallery in Fuengirola from 25 September 2017 to 25 September 2018 and at the Embassy of Finland in Brussels in spring 2018. The Finns achieved independence on 6 December 1917.
ART MAGAZINE FINLAND
Casa de la Plaza
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Casa de la Plaza is a house full of history and culture, located in the very heart of Riogordo on the main square. It is both an artist residence and a cultural center, where everyday life and art come together, and where the indoors flows naturally into the outdoors.
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Here, people can work with traditional methods while also exploring new technologies. The house hosts international collaborations and is actively involved in Leader, Erasmus, and other European projects. Surrounded by the magnificent landscapes of Andalusia, it offers inspiration and space for creativity.
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Casa de la Plaza embraces the past while looking to the future. It is a meeting place for art- and culture-loving people from all over the world, combining modern sustainable living with the rhythm of the countryside.
