Bio
Madeleine Strindberg
Madeleine Strindberg (born 1955) is a German-born painter based in London, acclaimed for her large-scale abstract works that explore the human form through innovative techniques such as incisions and metal-infused surfaces, and as the recipient of the 1998 Jerwood Painting Prize. Born in Cologne, West Germany, she experienced an international upbringing before relocating to Britain at age 19.
Strindberg trained at the Byam Shaw School of Art, Goldsmiths College, University of London, and earned an MA in painting from the Royal College of Art in 1985.From 1988 to 1989, she held the Artist-in-Residence position at the National Gallery, London, during which she produced a notable series of Metal Paintings featuring precise incisions into layered surfaces. Her artistic practice emphasizes freedom in mark-making and deliberate placement of paint, often resulting in delicate yet bold explorations of bodily abstraction.
The Jerwood Painting Prize recognized Strindberg's ability to blend subtlety with structural innovation, selecting her from over 1,200 entrants for works that probe human anatomy through translucent and etched effects.[1] She has exhibited extensively in the UK and maintains a studio in east London, continuing to produce paintings that prioritize material experimentation over representational fidelity.
Awards and Exhibitions
Exhibited widely in solo and mixed representations in GB and Europe, most recently in September ‘18 contributed to ‘Rot’ at 35Blumen-Kultur in Krefeld, Germany and they current Brexit show.
Madeleine won the Jerwood Painting Prize in 1998, selected from over 1,200 entrants for her series of delicate paintings exploring the human form through anatomical references such as brain sections. She also received the Abbey Award in Painting from the British School at Rome in 1996, enabling a residency focused on advanced study Earlier accolades include the GLC Peace Prize in 1989, awarded alongside her National Gallery Artist-in-Residence position, and the Barclays Bank Award in 1985, which supported a solo exhibition at Warwick Arts Trust. She earned prizes at the 1983 Northern Young Contemporaries and 1984 New Contemporaries exhibitions, marking early career recognition. Strindberg has been shortlisted for prominent competitions, such as the John Moores Painting Prize, the Charles Wollaston Award at the Royal Academy in 2000, and the Discerning Eye Drawing Prize, underscoring consistent peer acknowledgment despite not securing those wins. These honors reflect her sustained impact in British painting circles, though major institutional prizes post-2000 appear limited based on available records.
GLC Peace Prize, 1983; Northern Contemporaries, Whitworth Gallery, Manchester, 1983; New Contemporaries, ICA London (Windsor & Newton award), 1984; Barclays Bank Award, 1985; GLAA Award, 1988; Artist in Residence, National Gallery, London; 1988; Whitechapel Art Gallery, Whitechapel Open (Commendation), 1989; Abbey Award in Painting, British School of Rome, 1996; 1997; WINNER Jerwood Painting Prize 1998; shortlisted for the Charles Wollaston Award, Royal Academy, London, 2000 EAST international; shortlisted for Jerwood Painting Prize, 2001 HEADLINES large-scale projection, TWA screen, Leicester Square, London 1997; WINNER Jerwood Painting Prize 1998; shortlisted for the Charles Wollaston Award, Royal Academy, London, 2000; shortlisted for the Discerning Eye Drawing Bursary, 2007; 2010/2011 Award of University of Brighton Research Sabbatical Scheme; Summer Residency at British School of Rome 2016.
Education
Studied at Byam Shaw School of Art Royal College of Art, London (MA, 1985) Senior Lecturer Brighton University 1986 - 2014, External Assessor, University of Glasgow (2013/14)