Francesco Poiana, born in Italy in 1990, studied Painting at the Academy of Fine Arts in Rome, then obtained a Master of Fine Arts at the Central Saint Martins in London and joined the Royal Drawing School in 2019. He lives and works between Italy and the UK.
He has been involved in numerous national and international projects and exhibitions including Campari Creates “N100” at the Estorick Collection, 7th and 8th Guanlan International Print Biennal at the China Printmaking Museum, since 2019 participating with his work at the Woolwich Contemporary Print Fair. He is collaborating with the film production company Rover Dreams Productions and Designwork studios in Italy. His works on paper were recently exhibited by Christie’s and acquired in the Royal Collection. Since 2021 his work has been represented by Messums galleries.
Poiana’s practice is based around drawing, painting and printmaking and is usually concerned with landscape themes. The process often starts from an experience with particular qualities of light, memory and colour.
He says that drawing is the discipline he practices every day and in which he expresses himself best since he knows himself. The distance between drawing and printmaking has become short alongside the collaboration with the celebrated stamperia d’arte Albicocco in Italy, of whom he has been attending the edition studio since 2018.
“Using my hands, heart and mind I wish to construct a language with which one can convey their imagination and find solutions and escapes in different realities. In my work I always feel the need to chase a theme that I have not yet caught, that moves and keeps opening, expanding possibilities. In my urgency to create, I become lost and discover a new self.”
Poiana’s works represent an intimate voyage – towards the image of an intangible place, imagined only in daydreams.
Exhibitions
2023
Guanlan International Print Biennial, China Printmaking Museum
‘Arte tra le Calli’ Group Show, Marano Lagunare, Italy
“Lavori su carta” – Messums Wiltshire, Uk
“Special Exhibition celebrating the Coronation”, Christie’s London, Uk
“12 oil paintings” Frink Studio’s. Messums Wiltshire, Uk
“AreOre” – Galleria Arcipelago. Udine, Italy
Royal Watercolor Society “Open”, Bankside Gallery, London.
“Contemporary Printmaking Prize ’23”, Fen Ditton Gallery, Cambridge.
2022
“Hunter – Gatherer” – Messums London
Flourish Award for Excellence in Printmaking, West Yorkshire. Huddersfield
“Woolwich Contemporary Print Fair” – London
2021
Recent Work”- Solo Show, Messums London
“Punto di Fuga” – Solo Show, Stamperia d’arte Albicocco. Italy
2020
“Emerging Talents Exhibition” – Messums London
“London Art Fair 2020”- Messums Gallery. London
2019
“Woolwich Contemporary Print Fair” – Award Winner ’19 . London
“7th Guanlan International Print Biennal”, China Printmaking Museum, Shenzhen.
2018
“Printmaking Category Award” Jackson’s Emerging Artist prize. London
“Vladis Buss” Plain Air. Residency and Exhibition at Mark Rothko Centre, Latvia.
2016
‘Nuovo Mondo’ Amenei Gallery, Santa Maria Salina, Italy
Education
The Drawing Year, The Royal Drawing School, London 2019 – 2021
MA Fine Arts at “Central Saint Martins”, UAL, London 2017 – 2019
BA in Painting at the “Fine Arts Academy of Rome” 2011 – 2016
Residencies and Awards
Dumfries House residency, Scotland
Artist in residence Hektor Lanzarote, Spain
Artist in residence at Mark Rothko Centre, Latvia.
Artist in residence at Villa Albrizzi Marini, Italy
Flourish Award for Excellence in Printmaking, Huddersfield, Uk
Woolwich Contemporary Print Fair” – Award Winner ’19
Artist in residence at CSM Printmaking Workshop
Artist in residence Amenei Salina, Italy
Artist in residence at Stamperia d’Arte Albicocco, Italy
“Printmaking Category Award” Jackson’s Emerging Artist prize. London
Collections
The Royal Collection
Dumfries House Estate Collection
St Paul’s Girls’ School Collection
Features
The Hand Magazine, USA
Vicino/Lontano
La Lettura, Corriere della Sera
Francesco Poiana 