Contact : isabelmunoznewsome@gmail.com
she / they
Isabel Muñoz-Newsome is a London based queer artist with Chilean and British heritage, working across painting and musical performance. She was awarded the Zsuzi Roboz scholarship 2024-2025 by the Royal College of Art head of painting, Kamini Velodi.
Isabel makes sensual paintings. She wants the gesture of the paint to hold the force of the subject and her response to it. She creates work that is troubling and pleasurable.
She paints from her imagination and draws from life. From personal history and dreams. She is interested in paint, in depth and layers of being, in getting closer to the materiality and the emotion of the subject, while retaining a sense of mystery in the composition. It’s intimate. She is wading in colour and experience.
Re meeting the art historical figure of the Nympha in lesbian home movies. Emancipation through desire.
There is a presence within these paintings. the works are often comprised of an under layer of raw energy, over which she paints a layer of skin. Sometimes she thinks of her paintings as bodies. She allows for matter to hide, while simultaneously showing itself.
Isabel graduated from Wimbledon School of Art in Theatre Design BA with first class honours. She is currently doing a Masters in painting at the Royal College of Art.
She built a career in music releasing two albums with her band Pumarosa on Universal Music. They toured globally. The band was active from 2013 until 2023.
She has worked extensively in theatre as a colour specialist and associate designer and assistant designer. Working on shows in London’s West End and on Broadway NYC and across Europe.
Royal College of Art MA Graduation Show 2025
Awarded the Zsuzi Roboz scholarship 2024 by head of painting
Kamini Velodi. This is a merit based award that was given after one month of term in which work was observed.
Woke Up Feeling Better 2023
Staffordshire Street Gallery
A group show curated by me with artists who have a visual and a performance practice;
Adam Christensen
Tom Hardwick-Allen
Tim Spooner
Eloise Fornielles
Fiontan Moran
Isabel Muñoz-Newsome
2013 - 2023 All artwork for Pumarosa band. Art direction on all visual content.