Madeleine Pyk's debut exhibition took place at the legendary Petra at Lilla Paviljongen in Stockholm in 1956 – the same year Pyk completed her studies at Konstfackskolan. She later continued her studies at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts (1963–1967) and exhibited throughout Sweden; from Kulturen in Lund to Galleri Blå up in Umeå. She has also had solo exhibitions internationally in Amsterdam, Botswana, Hamburg, Nice, Paris, and Rome, and is represented at the Moderna Museet in Stockholm, the City of Stockholm collections, Norrköping Museum, Västerås Museum, the City of Västerås collections, Umeå Museum, and Östersund Museum.

Labeling Madeleine Pyk is difficult; she operates across a wide spectrum, in addition to painting and working with graphics, she writes and photographs. She has published several books and made films. She is beloved by the public like few others. The Swedish poet and playwright Kristina Lugn once said that there is a kitchen, a bathroom, and a Madeleine Pyk painting in every Swedish home. It is a lovely description of how cherished Madeleine Pyk is.