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MA in architectural engineering 1972 from Institute of Technology in Wroclaw.
MFA in painting and printmaking 1972 from Fine Arts Academy in Wroclaw.
Independent Artist since 1969, began designing 1969.
First large-scale paintings 1971.
Freelance artist and graphic designer, from 1970.
Artistic director, Stodola Gallery, Warsaw, and F.A.M.A. Summer Arts Festival
on the Baltic coast 1973-74.
First installations 1982.
First stage designs 1987.
First large-scale concert set (for the Grateful Dead) 1989.
Has designed for the Wroclaw Jazz Festival, Bam Art Center, New York Times,
Harold Clurman Theater, Samuel Beckett Theater, Jean Cocteau Repertory
Theater, and Others
Has lectured at universities and museums throughout the world.
1973
– Award for the Most Outstanding Young Poster Designer,
5th Biennial of Polish Poster Design, Katowice.
– Second Place, 6th National Graphic Art Exhibition,
Warsaw (for the drypoint engraving “Scandal in Town”).
– 81 –Sawka was granted “Warsaw’s Best
Poster” Prize 12 times.
1974
– LOT Polish Airlines Award, 5th International
Poster Biennial, Warsaw.
– Golden Pin award, given by the editorial staff
of Szpilki satirical magazine,
Warsaw (for “To Be a Bird” drawing).
1975
– Oscar de la Peinture award and the Special
Prize of the President of France, 7th
International Painting Festival, Cagnes-sur-Mer, France (for a number
of major works based on the “In My Head” print series).
1977
– The Medal of Honor of the “Student”
editorial staff for all creative activities in
the “New Culture” movement.
1978
– Gold Medal and First Place in
a group of socio-ideological posters, 7th
International Poster Biennial, Warsaw (for the “Vehicle of the Year”
poster design).
1979
– Prize of Honor, 3rd Biennial of Poster Design,
Lahti, Finland (for
“Patients” poster) .
– Eyes and Ears Foundation Award, Billboard Art,
Los Angeles.
1986
– Book of the Year Award,
granted by New York Times Editorial Staff, New York
(for the album containing a series of 25 prints called “A Book of
Fiction”).
1990
– Silver Medal, 14th Biennial of Graphic Design,
Brno (for a four element poster
design that accompanied the Sawka one-man-show exhibition a the SUNY State
University, New York).
1991
– Artist Laureate, 7th Colorado International Invitational
Poster Exhibition, Fort Collins, Colorado.
1994
– Japanese Cultural Agency Award, Tokyo.
1995
– Award of Merit, 9th Colorado International Invitational
Poster Exhibition, Fort
Collins, Colorado.
1996
– International OSAKA Award nominee in the fields
of architecture and design.
2003
– Premio di Lorenzo Il Magnifico Gold Medal in Multimedia,
4th International
Biennial of Contemporary Art, Florence, Italy.
Cree (Paris, France), October 1974, November
1976.
Projekt (Warsaw, Poland), no. 4, 1974, no.
4, 1975, no. 4, 1976, no. 3, 1979.
Art and Artists (London, England), June 1976.
Idea (Tokyo, Japan), July 1977, March 1982,
February 1993, December 1995.
Novum (Munich, Germany), June 1978.
Artnews (New York, USA) September 1983, October
1984.
New York Times, USA, 4 March 1985.
"Jan Sawka: Human Histories" by Ruth
Eisenberg in Arts Magazine (New York, USA), March 1985.
"Jan Sawka Makes an Elegiac Impression in Print"
by Charles Solomon in Los Angeles Times, USA, 1 December 1986.
Backstage (New York, USA), March 1989.
"Jan Sawka" by Pierre Souchaud in
Artension #35 (Paris, France), October 1991.
"Jan Sawka" by Shoji Katagish in Creation
(Tokyo, Japan), no. 13, 1992.
Affiche by Frank Fox(Amsterdam, Netherlands),
October 1995.
"Visions of Color and Light" by Frank Fox in
Print (New York, USA), May/June 1996.
Contemporary Polish Posters in Full Color edited
by Joseph S. Czestochowski, New York, USA, 1979.
Polish Posters 1970-1980 by Zdzislaw Schubert,
Warsaw, Poland, 1982.
Who's Who in Graphic Art edited by Walter Amstutz,
Dubendorf, Switzerland, 1982.
Visual Design Education, catalogue by Giovanni
Brunazzi, Aosta, Italy, 1998.
A Selected Retrospective, exhibition catalogue
with texts by James Beck, Elena G. Millie, and Niel C. Trager, New York,
USA, 1989.
A Selected Retrospective, exhibition catalogue
with texts by Stanley Cuba, Arvada, Colorado, USA, 1990.
The Returns, exhibition catalogue with texts
by Marek Rostworowski and James Beck, Krakow, Poland, 1991.
My Europe, exhibition catalogue with texts by
Marek Rostworowski, Seville, Spain, 1992
Something to Declare: Jan Sawka's Life in Art
An autobiographical essay, with additional essays by others on aspects
of Jan Sawka’s art. Edited by Dr. Frank Boyer. Lake Isle Press,
New York, Forthcoming, 2004.
A Book of Fiction
Clarkson A. Potter, New York, USA, 1986.
70 Views on Route to Venice
(poetry of L. A. Moczulski), A5 Publishers, Poznan, Poland, 1991.
At Hanka's Table
(by Hanka Sawka, with Hanna Maria Sawka), illustrated by Jan Sawka. A
cookbook-memoir detailing life behind the Iron Curtain and an exiled family’s
life abroad and in the world of art. Lake Isle Press, New York, July 2004.
A Conversation
Installation for the Deutsch Gallery, New York, USA, 1983.
A Book of Fiction
25 prints for Clarkson N. Potter Incorporated, USA 1986.
Krapp's Last Tape
Installation, for the Samuel Beckett Theater, New York, USA, 1986.
The Shoemakers (Witkacy)
Set design, for the Cocteau Theater, New York, USA, 1987.
The Trial (Kafka)
Set design, for the Cocteau Theater, New York, USA, 1987.
Macbeth (Shakespeare)
Set design, for the Cocteau Theater, New York, USA, 1989.
Grateful Dead Concert Stage Set
10-story tall set designed for 25th Anniversary Tour of the Grateful Dead
band, USA, 1989.
The Room
Installation for the Dorsky Gallery, New York, USA, 1989.
Waiting for Godot(Beckett)
Set and Poster for Apple Blossom Production, Poughkeepsie, New York, USA,
1990.
Dead Set
Book design, for Viking-Penguin, 1990.
The Sphere
Installation combining paintings, prints, and projections with music by
composer Ed Summerlin, for MASC Art Center, Poughkeepsie, New York, USA,
1990.
Handel's Messiah
Set and installation concept presented to the Pope at St. Peter's Square,
the Vatican, 1992.
The Eyes
Theatrical spectacle combining painted banners and kinetic projections,
produced by Tadashi Suzuki, Electronic projections/lights, Marc I. Rosenthal
for Art Tower Mito, Japan, 1993.
Steve Winwood and Traffic (rock band) Concert Set
for USA Summer Tour (with Marc Rosenthal), 1994.
Mito Spectacle
Concept and design for outdoor visual projection spectacle, Mito, Japan,
1994.
Creation
Concept and design for set and installation for a projected theatrical
production (with John Russell Brown),England, 1995.
The Magic Cube
Prototype of interactive sculpture (collaboration with Nippon Sheet Glass),
Tokyo, Japan, 1995.
The Tower of Light
Concept and design for100-meter obelisk with kinetic projections by Jan
Sawka and music composed by Ed Summerlin. An UMU-glass technology working
model was produced in collaboration with Japanese companies Toho Studios,
Sumitomo, and Nippon Sheet Glass for presentation to the ruler of the
United Arab Emirates, Abu Dhabi, 1996.
The Peace Monument
Concept and design for a monument promoting peace in the Middle East.
Jerusalem, 1996.
“Four Oceans” and “The
Amber Road”
Two UMU glass Multimedia Sculptures. Polish Pavilion, The Expo of the
Sea, Lisbon, Portugal, 1998.
Sky Power
Citywide image projection spectacle (designed with Marc Rosenthal) Houston,
Texas, USA, October 23rd 1999.
The Essen Towers
Concept and design for a permanent installation of four interactive UMU
glass towers for Essen, Germany, 1999.
Conversation of Cultures
Concept and design for a permanent installation of two monumental UMU
glass towers, visually dramatizing the interactions between world cultures,
to be erected in Tokyo, Japan, 2003.
The Hudson Valley Tower
Concept and design for a single UMU glass tower depicting aspects of the
history and lifeways of the people of the Hudson Valley of New York State,
New York, 2004.
Four UMU Glass Sculptures
“CalligraphyTower,” “Sun Tower,” and
Two Untitled Magic Cubes. (In collaboration with Mineo Mori,
Masayuki Kondo, andYoushi Matsuda), Shojiro Saitoh Workshop, Fujisawa,
Japan, 2004.
The Voyage
Multi-media spectacle using DVD projection video of over 1200 images,
presented in sequence and coordinated to music by Czeslaw Niemen, Florence,
2003 (excerpt), Tokyo, 2005. Awarded Premio de Lorenzo Il Magnifico Gold
Medal at 2003 Florence Biennial.
1971
Sawka- Stankiewicz Budapest University Gallery, Hungary (posters,
prints).
Sawka- Stankiewicz International Festival of Young Art,
York, England (posters, prints).
1972
Jan Sawka / STU Lausanne Cultural Centre, Switzerland (posters,
graphics).
Jan Sawka / STU Art 7 Festival, Palermo, Italy (posters,
graphics).
1973
Sawka- Stankiewicz BMA Wroclaw, Poland (prints).
Sawka Helsinki University Gallery, Finland (posters,
prints)
1974
Sawka Caracas Art Festival, Romania (posters, prints)
In My Head FAMA, Swinouscie, Poland (paintings based
on prints)
Sawka Stodola Gallery, Warsaw, Poland (posters, prints)
1976
Sawka-Fukuda International Design Conference in Aspen, Colorado,
USA (prints, paintings on paper)
The Wroclaw Four Poster Museum, Warsaw-Wilanow, Poland
(prints, paintings, posters)
Sawka-Mleczko BWA Opole, Poland
1977
Sawka Otto Nagel Haus, East Berlin, Germany (posters)
Jan Sawka Galerie Noire, Paris, Galerie Lefor-Openo,
Saint Cloud, France (paintings, prints, drawings)
Sawka Galerie Pulchri Studio, Hague, Netherlands
Jan Sawka Dubins Gallery, Los Angeles, California, USA
(prints, paintings on paper)
1978
To Be a Bird 9th International Painting Festival, Cagnes-Sur-Mer,
Musee d'Art Moderne, Paris, France (installation)
Sawka Art Directors Club, New York, New York, USA (posters)
1979
Jan Sawka Lillian Heidenberg Gallery, New York, New York, USA
(paintings, prints, drawings)
Sawka Ankrum Gallery, Los Angeles, California, USA (paintings,
prints)
1980
The Laureates of the 7th International Biennial of Poster Art
Poster Museum, Warsaw-Wilanow, Poland (posters)
Jan Sawka Poster Exhibition, J. Kochanowski Theater,
Opole, Poland (posters)
1981
Sawka Ankrum Gallery, Los Angeles, California, USA (paintings,
prints)
1982
Pictures Andre Zarre Gallery, New York, New York, USA (paintings)
Sawka Ana Sklar Gallery, Miami, Florida, USA (paintings,
prints)
1983
In My Head and Map of the Sky Ankrum Gallery, Los Angeles, California,
USA (paintings)
Conversations Sid Deutsch Gallery, New York, New York,
USA (paintings, constructions)
1984
Sawka Albany Acadamy Gallery, Albany, New York, USA
New Creations Evelyn Siegel Gallery, Fort Worth, Texas,
USA (paintings, prints)
1985
Jan Sawka paintings and constructions, Sid Deutsch Gallery, New
York, Pratt Manhattan Center Gallery, 112 Greene Street, New York, USA
(paintings, constructions, prints)
1986
"Krapp's Last Tape" installation Samuel Beckett Theater,
New York, New York, USA (paintings)
Exhibitions promoting his new book "The Book of Fiction"
Rizzoli Bookstore and Gallery, New York, USA; Anca Colbert Gallery, Los
Angeles, California, USA; Evelyn Siegel Gallery, Fort Worth, Texas, USA
(prints)
1988
Life Cycles Di Laurenti Gallery, New York, New York, USA (paintings)
Sawka a series of graphic design exhibitions, La Salle,
Aosta, Italy (posters, prints)
1989
New Works Dorsky Gallery, Soho, New York, USA (paintings, "The
Room" Installation)
Retrospective SUNY College Art Gallery, New Paltz, New
York, USA (paintings, constructions, prints, posters)
Retrospective Dowd Fine Arts Center, SUNY College, Cortland,
New York, USA
1990
Retrospective Tyler Art Gallery, New York State University, Oneonta,
New York, USA
Milestones, retrospective Nicolaysen Museum of Art, Casper,
Wyoming, USA
Milestones, retrospective Arvada Srts Center of the Arts,
Arvada, Colorado, USA (paintings, constructions, posters)
Jana Sawky nawrat do srdca Europy Brno Municipal Theater
Gallery, Poland (prints, posters)
The Sphere, a visual-musical project with composer Edgar
Summerlin, MASC Art Center, Poughkeepsie, New York, USA (slides, banners,
prints)
1991
Banners Dorsky Gallery, Soho, New York, USA (banners)
New Creations, De Andino Fine Arts Gallery, Washington,
D.C., USA (paintings, banners, prints)
Returns, retrospective The Arsenal Gallery, Czartoryski
Foundation, Cracow National Museum, Poland (paintings, banners, prints)
Paintings, Sketches, Starmach Gallery, Cracow, Poland
(paintings, drawings)
On the Way to Seville Hassel & Haeseler Gallery,
Denver, Colorado, USA (paintings, banners)
Poster Retrospective Fort Collins Museum of Art, Lincoln
Center, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA (posters)
Returns, retrospective Poster Museum, Warsaw-Wilanow,
Poland (paintings, banners, prints, posters)
1992
New Sculptures Carolyn Hill Gallery, Soho, New York, USA (sculptures,
paintings)
Returns, retrospective The Abbots' Palace, Gdansk National
Musuem, Poland (paintings, prints, banners)
Returns, retrospective Science and Art Museum, Prague,
Czech Republic (paintings, prints, banners)
Returns, retrospective BWA Bielsko-Biala, Poland (paintings,
banners, prints)
My Europe, installation, International Art Pavalion,
Expo '92 Seville, Spain (banners, prints, posters)
Jan Sawka, mixed technique paintings, 1978-88, Queens
Museum, New York, USA (paintings)
Creation in Process Creation Gallery, Tokyo, Japan (prints,
paintings, sculptures)
Graphic Art, retrospective. Presentation of the "Messiah
Concept, Wroclaw National Museum, Wroclaw, Poland (prints, multi-media
projects)
1993
The World of Jan Sawka- paintings, prints, intallations
Atrium Gallery, Connecticut State University, Storrs, Connecticut, USA
(paintings, prints, banners, the Room installation, video)
The Eyes visual theater a multimedia project, ACM Theater,
Art Tower Mito, Japan (banner installations)
1994
Graphic Art retrospective Striped House Museum of Art Tokyo,
Japan (prints, banners, installation)
1995
Returns, retrospective Pecsi Galeria, Pecs, Hungary (paintings,
banners, prints, video)
Sawka Graphic Art Gallery 360, Aoyama Tokyo, Japan (prints)
1996
The Tower of Light project presentation Culture Foundation, Abu
Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (paintings, prints, posters, multi-media)
1997
Jan Sawka- Roots Zabrze Municipal Museum, Zabrze, Poland (paintings,
prints, posters, multi-media)
Sawka-Sato Upper Silesian Cultural Centre, Katowice,
Poland (paintings)
Meetings, Galeria Miejska, Tarnow, Poland (paintings,
prints, posters, sculptures, multi-media).
2004
Into the Open: From Studio Works to Monumental Projects, and Beyond…ACA
Galleries, New York.
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