Julian Raczko

Julian Henryk Raczko (born 1936 in Warsaw, died 2019) completed his studies at the Warsaw University of Technology in 1963. He then studied at the Warsaw Academy of Fine Arts from 1963 to 1965, under the guidance of renowned mentors such as Aleksander Kobzdej. From 1989, he taught drawing at the Faculty of Graphics at the Warsaw Academy of Fine Arts and served as vice-dean from 1996 to 1999.

Raczko's works, often described as intellectual explorations of geometry and space, are held in prestigious institutions, including the Centre Pompidou in Paris and the Zachęta National Gallery of Art in Warsaw. His work focused on metaphysical issues related to light, color, and space, as well as the continuous transformation of phenomena and forms. He created geometric abstractions, often dominated by arrangements of squares and circles (e.g., the Morfologie series from 1965–1986). Some of his pieces incorporated optical and color effects characteristic of Op Art, such as Metastasis II from 1967 and Pulsar Niebieski Kwadratowy (Blue Square Pulsar) from 1974.

Selected solo exhibitions:

2024 Julian Raczko, Aleksandra Jachtoma, Szydłowski Gallery, Warsaw

2004 Fragments, Program Gallery, Warsaw

2001 In Search of Unity, Abbots’ Palace, Branch of the National Museum in Gdańsk

1998 Museum of X. Dunikowski in Królikarnia, Branch of the National Museum in Warsaw

1997 The Unity of Opposites – Contemplation II, Grodzka Gallery, BWA, Lublin

1997 On the Unity of Opposites, Podlaska Gallery, Biała Podlaska

1996 The Unity of Opposites – Contemplation, Dziekanka Gallery, Warsaw

1995 Julian Raczko, Kloster Altzella, Altzella, Germany

1994 Transformations, Municipal Gallery, Wrocław

1994 Transformis, S Gallery, Toruń

1994 Transformation – The Way, Grodzka Gallery, BWA, Lublin

1993 Julian Raczko, Biblioteka Gallery, Legionowo (curated by Stefan Szydłowski)

1993 Transformis, Labirynt 2 Gallery, BWA, Lublin

1993 Library Gallery, Municipal Public Library, Legionowo

1993 The Way, Sculpture Gallery, SBWA, Warsaw

1992 Konewka, Artists’ Creative Centre, Kielce

1992 Drawings for My Mother, Sculpture Gallery Kuchnia, SBWA, Warsaw

1992 Two Squares, Labirynt 2 Gallery, BWA, Lublin

1992 GR Gallery, Regional Culture Centre, Grójec

1992 Among Stones (stage design for Poetic All Souls’ Day under the London Fog...), installation with drawings, stones, and candles, Stara Prochownia, Warsaw

1991 Other Spaces, BWA Propaganda Art Centre, Łódź

1990 Cathedral/Katedral, Fyns Kunstmuseum, Odense

1990 Presence Among Stones, Foto-Medium-Art Gallery, Wrocław

1990 The Whole and the Fragment, Stara Gallery, BWA, Lublin

Selected group exhibitions:

1985 Painting and Graphics Exhibition of Warsaw Artists, CBWA Zachęta, Warsaw

1985 Polish Abstraction – Lengyel Absztrakció, Józsefvárosi Gallery, Budapest

1985 In Tribute to Witkacy, Studio Gallery Centre for Contemporary Art, Warsaw

1985 Interart 85, Poznań; Grafitages: Re/Action, Showcase/Action, Pokaz Gallery, Warsaw

1984 The Language of Geometry, CBWA Zachęta, Warsaw

1984 The Concept of Space in Contemporary Art, National Museum, Warsaw

1983 Reality and Imagination. Polish Contemporary Art Collections, National Museum, Wrocław; CBWA Zachęta, Warsaw

1983 Recent Acquisitions in Polish Contemporary Art from the Last Decade, National Museum, Warsaw

1983 Constructivist Tendencies, Dialog Gallery, Berlin

1983 Paintings from SBWA Collections, MDM Gallery, Warsaw

1983 International Contemporary Art Exhibition, Museo Vostell, Malpartida de Cáceres, Extremadura, Spain

1983 Seminar on Independent and Open Art, Norrköping Museum of Art, Sweden

1981-1982 2nd International Drawing Triennial, Museum of Architecture, Historical Museum, Wrocław

1981 Perspective, Nausea, Illusionism, National Museum, Warsaw

1981 Opening of the Permanent Exhibition of Modern Art, Regional Museum, Chełm

1981 Constructivist Tendencies, DAP, Warsaw

1980-1981 Exhibition of Contemporary Polish Drawing – Drawings and Comments, BWA, Szczecin

1978 Polish Painting (Polnische Malerei), Kunstkaten, Ahrenshoop, Germany

1977 Contemporary Polish Painting, Mehr-e Shah Gallery, Tehran, Iran

1977 Contemporary Trends in Polish Art, Athens

1977 International Art Fair, Basel, Switzerland