ABOUT

Ilona Niemi explores psychological types in her work, often through human-animal hybrids. This is an ancient subject in art: the Lascaux caves included a drawing of a bird-headed person and mythologies teem with human-animal creatures.

 

Ilona approaches her topic from today’s perspective, drawing parallels between endangered species and personal loss. She gains inspiration from poetry, life stories, fashion and life in general.

 

So far, Ilona's career highlights include winning the RSA Painting Prize & Maclaine Watters Medal (Edinburgh, 2001), being featured in the BP Portrait Award Exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery in (London, 2002) and receiving a commission from EMMA - Espoo Museum of Modern Art in Finland (2019).

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