Iwona Van Niekerk

Iwona Van Niekerk is a Polish–Australian contemporary artist based in Perth, Western Australia.

Working primarily in oil on linen, she creates large-scale figurative paintings that combine abstraction and representation. Inspired by the colours and geological formations of Western Australia's red earth, her work explores memory, identity and belonging through layered geometric forms and the human figure.

Having lived in Poland, Denmark, the United Kingdom and Australia, Van Niekerk draws on the experiences of place and migration to create paintings that reflect the invisible histories we carry within us. Her compositions balance structured geometry with intuitive mark-making, inviting viewers to pause, reflect and form their own personal connection with the work.

In 2023, she received the Public Choice Award at the City of Stirling Art Awards and has since exhibited in galleries across Western Australia and Melbourne. Her work is held in private collections in Australia, Poland, Denmark, the United Kingdom and the United States.

2023 – Present
Independent studies in art history and contemporary painting

2023 – 2024
Undergraduate Certificate in Fine Art, Curtin University, Perth, Australia

2020 – Present
Ongoing professional workshops and mentorships with artists in Australia and internationally, including Stephen Bauman Atelier

Selected exhibitions:

2026 - Oxford Street Gallery, Mt Hawthorn, WA
2026 - Ellis House Exhibition, Bayswater, WA
2026 - Brunswick Street Gallery, Melbourne, VIC
2025 - Feminine Fragility Exhibition, Moores Building Art Space, Fremantle, WA
2024 - Ellis House Members Exhibition (group exhibition), Bayswater, WA
2024 - Conversation || Exhibition (group exhibition), Inglewood Art Hub, Perth WA
2023 - Conversation | Exhibition (group exhibition), Inglewood Art Hub, Perth WA

Awards & Finalist Exhibitions

2023 - City of Stirling Art Awards & Exhibition – Finalist and People's Choice Award - Winner
2023 - City of Rockingham Art Awards - Finalist
2023 - City of Bayswater Community Art Awards - Finalist