Painter, Storyteller, Unfriendly Woman.
Noemi Conan, born in Warsaw, Poland in 1987. Painter. Lives and works in London.
Noemi Conan is an artist whose work delves into the captivating world of visual storytelling, utilizing surreal, confrontational, and humorous imagery to explore the narratives within. Her art centers around depictions of self, female friends, family, and feline companions, set against the backdrop of forest landscapes.
Drawing inspiration from the rich tapestry of Slavic folklore and combining it with themes extracted from both communist and capitalist propaganda, Conan weaves compelling stories that are deeply rooted in her personal experiences as a young woman growing up in off-center 90's Eastern Europe.
Conan’s work serves as a personal account of making sense of the difficulty in self-identification for the artist. Navigating the complex socio-political and historical issues while trrying to avoid the pitfalls of Eastern European stereotypes, idealising the past or utilising cliches.
Internationally exhibited across the UK and Europe, her artwork has garnered recognition and found its place in esteemed collections such as Soho House London, Glasgow School of Art, and the Urban Nation Museum in Berlin. Conan's artistic journey has been marked by notable achievements, including being selected as one of Bloomberg New Contemporaries in 2021, participation in the John Moores Painting Prize in both 2020 and 2023, showcasing in the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition in 2021, and featuring in the Royal Scottish Academy Annual Exhibition.
Conan's academic pursuits have been equally impressive. She earned a BA (Hons) in Painting and Printmaking from the prestigious Glasgow School of Art and subsequently immersed herself in the Royal Drawing School Drawing Year (2021-2022). Currently, she is participating in the Turps Studio Programme (2022-2023) and has recently completed The Fores Project February-March 2023 residency.
Through her art, Conan invites viewers on a captivating journey, where the interplay of imagination, culture, and personal history converge to paint a vivid and thought-provoking picture of a distinct era and its narratives.
For full CV look HERE