Justyna Kuklo is a Polish visual artist, painter, illustrator, and graphic designer based in Brussels. Her practice encompasses painting alongside unique contemporary works utilizing traditional bobbin lace techniques.

Originally from eastern Poland, her artistic path was deeply influenced by her roots. She began her training at the Art High School in Supraśl, focusing on traditional weaving crafts. She subsequently moved to the Academy of Fine Arts in Gdańsk, where she studied at the Faculties of Painting and Artistic Education, earning a Master’s degree in Painting and Illustration. She furthered her education in Belgium at the Académie Royale des Beaux-Arts de Bruxelles, obtaining a Master’s degree in Textile Arts.

As an interdisciplinary artist, Kuklo divides her professional activity into two primary currents: figurative oil painting and contemporary fiber art employing Belgian bobbin lace.

Parallel to her fine arts practice, she is an accomplished designer. For many years, she co-created and designed the visual identity of “Pstryk Myk,” a magazine dedicated to Polish children living abroad. She also collaborates with European institutions, including the European Commission, and various commercial brands on visual identification and branding projects.

Her work has been featured in numerous exhibitions across Europe, including Poland, Belgium, France, Spain, the Czech Republic, and Monaco. Her accolades include:

2010: The Prix du Legs Serrure (Brussels).

2009: Nomination for the National Award for Best Artistic Diploma in Painting (Poland).

2006–2008: Scholarship from the Polish Ministry of Culture and National Heritage for outstanding academic achievement.

Justyna Kuklo’s work often explores themes of femininity, tradition, and identity. Her painting style is predominantly figurative; a fascination with the sea (from her time in Gdańsk) combined with the Belgian lace-making tradition (from her years in Brussels) results in a signature style defined by meticulous detail and a sophisticated use of color. A central feature of her work is the search for a synthetic language to narrate emotions and relationships. Her compositions often focus on a specific detail—a pars pro toto—that serves as a gateway to a larger narrative about the human condition.

Early in her career, Kuklo collaborated with the Katarzyna Napiórkowska Art Gallery in Warsaw, a partnership she has recently resumed after several years.

JUSTYNA KUKLO
An interdisciplinary contemporary artist. A graduate of the Art High School in Supraśl, the Academy of Fine Arts in Gdańsk (MA in Painting and Illustration, 2009), and the Académie Royale des Beaux-Arts in Brussels (Master Tapisserie – art textile, 2010). From 2006 to 2008, she was a recipient of the Scholarship of the Minister of Culture and National Heritage. Her work spans figurative painting, illustration, and contemporary textile art, in which she incorporates traditional Belgian bobbin lace.

Awards: Prix du Legs Serrure (Brussels, 2010), nomination for the Best Artistic Diploma of the Year in Poland (2009).

Exhibitions: Her work has been exhibited at the Musée d’art moderne in Saint-Étienne, the Fashion & Lace Museum in Brussels, and the Łaźnia Centre for Contemporary Art in Gdańsk, among others.

Prace Justyny Kuklo można zakupić w Galeriach Sztuki Katarzyny Napiórkowskiej w Warszawie i w Brukseli.