Joanna Pilarczyk is a London-based contemporary figurative painter. Born in Poland, Pilarczyk studied at the Art University in Zielona Gora, where she earned a Master's degree in Visual Arts and Art Education.
Pilarczyk's artistic talent has earned her recognition and accolades. She recently won the Young Masters Mentorship Award from Cynthia Corbett and Sadie Clayton during the Women in Art Fair 2026. She was shortlisted for the Guildford House Open 2025 and the Herbert Smith Freehills Portrait Award at the National Portrait Gallery. She also won the Boynes Monthly Artist Award [November 2024], the third time the jury awarded her painting in the 'colour' category. In 2023, Joanna was a finalist for the International Fikva Award for Figurative Painters, and in 2022 and 2021, she was a finalist for the Women United Art Prize.
Her work has been exhibited nationally and internationally, including at prestigious venues like the Royal Society of Arts, Mall Galleries at the Women in Art Fair, Start Art Fair at Saatchi Gallery and the Other Art Fair at Truman Brewery, London. Additionally, she showcased her newest paintings at a solo show with Oink Gallery, featuring pieces from her 'My Paradise' series. Joanna actively participated in the Spring and Summer editions of the Other Art Fair in 2022 – 2024.
Her artworks have crossed international borders, with her paintings from the 'My Paradise' series exhibited at the Superfine Art Fair in Times Square, New York and a solo show on Artsy curated by the Untitled Space Gallery. The works from the 'Intimate Times' series were exhibited at 33 Contemporary Gallery in Chicago, Palm Beach, Mixx Atelier Gallery in Telluride, USA, and Kunstbehandlung Gallery in Munich, Germany.
She has participated in exhibitions including A Gogo III and Forever After? at Mash Gallery in Los Angeles, Modern Female at 33 Contemporary Gallery in Palm Beach, and Uprise 2025 – The Art of Resistance at the Untitled Space Gallery, New York. Most recently, she was part of Women-Led Galleries Now on Artsy with the Untitled Space Gallery and Venus Reclaimed at 33 Contemporary, both celebrating Women’s History Month.
Prize:
Winner of the Young Masters Mentorship Award, in partnership with Cynthia Corbett Gallery at the Women in Art Fair 2026
Shortlisted for the Guilford House Open 2025, organised by Parker Harris
Shortlisted for the Herbert Smith Freehills Portrait Award 2025 by the National Portrait Gallery
Winner of the Boynes Monthly Artist Award, November 2024, Painting category, International
Winner for the Untitled Magazine’s Cover, May 2024
Shortlisted for the Herbert Smith Freehills Portrait Award 2024 by the National Portrait Gallery
Winner of the Boynes Monthly Art Award, November 2023, Painting category, International
Finalist of the Fikva International Award for Figurative Painters 2023, International
Winner of the Boynes Monthly Artist Award, November 2022, Painting category, International
Finalist in Women United Art Prize 2022, Painting & Drawing category, International
Finalist in ‘Women United Art Prize 2021, Painting & Drawing category, International
Recent Exhibitions:
2026 - In Full Bloom, group exhibition, Untitled Space Gallery, New York, UK
2026 - Women in Art Fair, Oxo Tower Gallery, London, UK
2026 - Venus Reclaimed, group exhibition, 33 Contemporary Gallery, Palm Beach, USA
2025 - Guildford House Open, Guildford Gallery, UK
2025 - Forever After?, Mash Gallery, Los Angeles, USA
2025 - Women in Art Fair, Oxo Tower Gallery, London, UK
2025 - IWD: Modern Female, 33 Contemporary Gallery, Palm Beach, USA
2025 - Uprise: The Art of Resistance, Untitled Space Gallery, New York, USA
2025 - Á GOGO III, Mash Gallery, Los Angeles, USA2024 - Women in Art Fair, Mall Galleries, London, UK
2024 - Joanna Pilarczyk: My Paradise, online solo exhibition on Artsy, The Untitled Space Gallery, NY, UK
2024 - The Male Figure, Kunstbehandlung Gallery, Munich, Germany
2024 - The Other Art Fair, London, UK
2024 - Artsy Foundations, Mixx Projects + Atelier Gallery, Online Art Fair, Winter Edition, International
Selected Curatorial Commentary:
“There is already a very strong and distinctive artistic identity present within the work.”
— Kurt Beers, Director of Beers London
Selected Publications include:
Untitled Magazine, Create Magazine, Art Seen, Artsin Square, New Visionary, Women United Magazine, Suboard and the Huts Magazine.
See full ‘Publication & Press’