Iwona Abrams

Iwona Abrams is a Senior Lecturer in Graphic Communication Design at the University of Westminster since 2010 and an Associate Lecturer in Drawing Studio at the Royal College of Art since 2002. She is a visual artist, designer, and researcher whose work spans cross-disciplinary practices connecting art with science, particularly exploring material properties in printmaking processes.

Her educational background includes studies at the Royal College of Art in Communication Art and Design, Central Saint Martin's School of Art and Design, and Krakow Academy of Fine Arts. These diverse educational experiences inform her experimental approach to artistic practice.

Abrams' research centers on expanded printing practices that explore conceptual issues around unusual materials, new processes, and alternative modes of printing. Her work combines practice and theory through drawings, speculative print prototypes, and print series that investigate specific subjects while reflecting on broader conceptual ideas. Current research explores print as a platform for creative interactions between art and science, with notable projects examining the medium of ice as both material and metaphor.

Her recent publications demonstrate a consistent trajectory of exploring participatory processes, environmental relationships, and the intersection of traditional and experimental printmaking techniques. The research shows growing emphasis on environmental art, community engagement, and the scientific properties of materials used in artistic processes, particularly focusing on ice and its entropic qualities.

• Major prizes at the International Krakow Printmaking Triennial (2003)
• Major prizes at the International Krakow Printmaking Triennial (2006)
• RCA's Augustus Martin Award for the best use of print media

Abrams has received significant research funding from Arts Council England, Royal Astronomical Society, and University College London for projects like 'Redshift' which explored printing with ice. Her work has been exhibited internationally at venues including Künstlerhaus Gallery in Vienna, Zachęta National Gallery in Warsaw, and numerous international print biennials. She has also worked extensively in communication design for major publishers and magazines including Jonathan Cape, Icon Books, Vintage, and The Economist.

Her practice includes site-specific commissions, residencies, and collaborations that explore environmental narratives and the relationship between art and science. The Centre for Research and Education in Arts and Media serves as her primary research hub at the University of Westminster.