Biography

Ryszard Kalamarz was born in Przemyśl, Poland in 1954. After leaving the State School of Arts in Jarosław, he studied at the Katowice Faculty of Graphic Arts of the Academy of Fine Arts in Kraków from which he graduated in 1979.
In the late 1980s the artist’s fascination with the world of ballet and theatre yielded a cycle of paintings portraying a ballet dancer.

The paintings determined the way the artist was to follow. Since then his favourite motive has become characters out of this world. The artist places them preferably in interiors which conjure up mysterious backstage places in a theatre or fairy gardens which are a background for human beauty as well as real emotions and passions. In his own special way the painter links reality, fantasy and pure abstract elements and consequently creates a story to be continued by the receiver.

In his works we can find both a contemporary thread and the atmosphere of old masters’ paintings.
Ryszard Kalamarz is an acclaimed Polish portraitist. He has created dozens of portraits including those for well-known representatives of the world of art and business. His works were presented at individual and collective exhibitions in art galleries in Poland and abroad. Since the early 1980s the artist has lived and worked in Rybnik.

1989 – Rybnik Culture Centre, Rybnik, Poland
BWA Dębica, Poland
1990 – BWA Przemyśl, Poland
BWA Zamość, Poland
BWA Tychy, Poland
ZPAP Gallery Katowice, Poland
“Desa” Gallery, Poznań, Poland
1991 – Teatr Wielki, Warszawa, Poland
“Zapiecek” Gallery, Warszawa, Poland
“6” Gallery, Gliwice, Poland
W.Krysiak’s Gallery, Bydgoszcz, Poland
MDK Racibórz, Poland
1993 – MOK Żory, Poland as part of the International Guitar
Competition
1994 – “Praska” Gallery, Warszawa, Poland
1996 – Ars Polona Gallery, Warszawa, Poland
1997 – RCK Art Gallery, Rybnik, Poland
Ancien College, Sezanne, France
1998 – Moszna Castle, Poland
1999 – Scene and Gallery of Anna Kareńska, Podstolice Manor
House,Poznań, Poland
Silesian Filharmonic Hall in Katowice, Poland – Exhibition as part
of the Grzegorz Fitelberg International Competition
for Conductors
“Styl” Denis Devosges-Cuber’s Gallery, Głogówek, Poland
2001 – “Yam” Gallery, Zakopane, Poland
“Portraits” – RCK Art Gallery, Rybnik, Poland
Karol Szymanowski State School of Music – Jubilee of the Little
Philharmonic Hall, Warszawa, Poland
2010 – Businessman Institute, Warszawa, Poland
Isetan Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan
Daimaru, Kobe
2011 – PiMBP Gallery, Rybnik, Poland
2012 – Businessman Institute as part of the “Wawer Music Festival”, Warszawa, Poland,
2017 – Dwór Karwacjanów, Gorlice
– Teatr Ziemi Rybnickiej, Galeria Sztuki
– Filharmonia Śląska w Katowicach, w ramach X Międzynarodowego Konkursu Dyrygenckiego im. G. Fitelberga
2019 - Gallery of Modern Art BWA Przemyśl, Poland

1987 – Triennale of Contemporary Portrait, BWA Radom, Poland
1987 – Ogólnopolski Konkurs im. R. Pomorskiego, Katowice, Poland
1988 – I Biennale of Small Painting Forms, Toruń, Poland
1990 – “Child in Art” Exhibition, Bratislava, Slovakia
1991 – “Zapiecek” Gallery, Warszawa, Poland
1992 – “Child in Painting”, BWA Tarnów, Poland
1999 – “Artists of South-East Poland”, BWA Rzeszów, Poland
“Child in Painting”, BWA Zamość, Poland
2000 – “Rybnik Colours”, Museum in Rybnik, Poland
2002 – “Praska” Gallery”, Warszawa, Poland
1992-2011 – East European Contemporary Fine Artists,
Towo Art Centre, Tokyo, Japan
2011 – TDK Gallery, Tarnobrzeg and Bolestraszyce Arboretum Gallery –
Open Air exhibitions of the 14th International Plein-Air
Bolestraszyce, Tarnobrzeg, Poland
“Post-competition Exhibition “Materia Medicinalis Materia
Artificialis” Museum of Pharmacy, Kraków, Poland
2012 – Post-competition Exhibition “Materia Medicinalis Materia
Artificialis” – Museum “Dwory Karwacjanów i Gładyszów”,
Gorlice, Poland
2013 – Galeria Złote Grabie,Rydułtowy, Poland
2019 – Dwór Karwacjanów, Gorlice, Poland

1986 – “Musical Themes in Painting”, BWA Tarnów – 3rd Prize
1987 – “Musical Themes in Painting”, BWA Tarnów – 2nd Prize
1987 – “Bielsko Autumn”, BWA Bielsko-Biała – Special Award
1988 – Painting Competition “Space – Matter”, Elbląg, Poland –
Honorary Mention
1989 – “Bielsko Autumn”, BWA Bielsko-Biała – Special Award
1989 – The J. Spychalskiego Competition, “Arsenal”, Poznań – 3rd Prize
and Private Award
2008 – President of Rybnik Award in the field of culture

Participation in charity auctions and exhibitions:

Exhibitions and auctions “Bliźniemu swemu” 2006,
2010, 2011-2012
ZACHĘTA National Art Gallery, Warszawa, Poland
Muzeum Miejskie Wrocławia, Wrocław, Poland
Centrum Kultury 105, Koszalin, Poland
BWA Katowice, Poland
Millenium Hall, Rzeszów, Poland