Gabriella Bartolo-Kanellopoulos is an artist, curator, and writer based in Naarm. Her practice involves oil painting, fibre arts, and sculpture. Her creative practice is an exploration of the human condition through themes of sexuality, intergenerational connection, and the transmission of cultural tradition. She also facilitates art workshops in a variety of local art spaces, and endeavours to establish collaborative and community driven creative outcomes in all her organisational work. Her present focus both artistically and curatorially is borne from her minor thesis research outcomes, which focus on decolonising diasporic art practice in Melbourne. This has led her into an exploration of ‘folk-art’ and how this category or broader concept could bridge into the contemporary moment.

Exhibitions and projects

• 2026
  • Upcoming curatorial and artistic project at KINGS artist run, West Melbourne, July-Aug 2026.
  • Coordinated Community life drawing show #3, Unassigned Gallery. 17 Jan 2026.
• 2025
  • Artworks featured in Sketchbook, Unassigned Gallery, August 2025.
  • Coordinated Community life drawing show #2, Unassigned Gallery. 25 May 2025.
  • Artworks featured in ‘Silently childhood’s crystalline paths sank in the garden,’ Oddany Gallery, 24 Apr-9 May.
  • Collaborative triptych artwork exhibited at Nathan McGlynn’s Darling Boy exhibition, St Albans Community Art Centre, Brimbank City Council, March 2025.
  • Coordinated Community life drawing show, Unassigned Gallery. 19 Jan 2025.
• 2024
  • Mirages: The Holy and Profane. Group exhibition at Changing Room Gallery, Carlton (22 November- 5 December 2024). Co-curated with Seendya Akung and also featured artwork.
  • Offerings. Group exhibition at Unassigned Gallery, Brunswick (26 April- 3 May 2024). Co-curated with Sunday Smith and also featured artwork.
  • Artworks featured in Ascendent, group exhibition at the Abbotsford Convent with Platform Exhibitions (16 February 2024).
• 2023
  • Co-curation of the Better Together fundraiser with Ashley McNeil at the Old Bar Gallery (December 12-17 2023).
  • The Fig Tree. Artworks featured in duo exhibition with Sunday Smith at Old Bar Gallery, Fitzroy (16-28 May 2023).
• 2022
  • Artworks featured in duo exhibition, In Your Eyes, with Sarah-Anne Rendina at Old Bar Gallery, Fitzroy (7-20 June 2022).
  • Solo exhibition of artworks in Πρόγονος at Brunswick Street Gallery, Fitzroy (10-27 March 2022).

Awards:

• Eugenie La Gerche Scholarship 2024

Education:

• 2020-2022 Bachelor of Arts, Art History and Anthropology, University of Melbourne
• 2024-2025 Master of Art Curatorship, Minor Thesis, University of Melbourne

Gallery work:

• Unassigned Gallery board of directors and workshop leader, April 2024-present
• Art Lovers Australia, gallery manager, 2024-2026
• West End Art Space, workshop and events assistance, 2023-2024
• The Old Bar Gallery, gallery assistant 2022-2023

Volunteering:

• Mural residency at Blue Bird restaurant, Jodhpur, India. March 2026.
• Gertrude Contemporary, archival and curatorial research assistance, 2024- 2025
• TCB 2024- 2025
• ACCA 2024- 2025
• Brunswick Street Gallery, sales and gallery invigilator, 2022-2023

Presentations:

• Guest speaker: LaTrobe University and Bendigo Art Gallery: 5 February 2019. Encouraging rural VCE engagement in visual arts.