Ryszard HorowitzPhotocomposer

Biography

Born in Kraków in 1939. Survived Auschwitz as a small child. Studied painting, documented the birth of Polish jazz, and in 1959 left for New York, where he became one of the pioneers of photographic illusion.

  • 1939Born in Kraków, May 5th
  • 1956Photographs the birth of Polish jazz
  • 1959Pratt Institute; apprentice to Alexey Brodovitch
  • 1963Art director at Grey Advertising
  • 1967Opens his own studio in New York

Ryszard Horowitz was born in Kraków, Poland, on May 5th, 1939. Four months later the Nazis invaded his homeland and soon after his entire family was sent to a series of concentration camps. They miraculously survived thanks to Oskar Schindler, and at the war’s end were amongst the few Jewish families who re-established their lives in Kraków. Ryszard is known to be one of the youngest known survivors of Auschwitz.

Ryszard studied art at the High School of Fine Arts in Kraków and then went on to major in painting at the Academy of Fine Arts in his home city. In 1956, during a brief political and cultural thaw in Poland, the government awarded subsidies to encourage new and original art forms, and Kraków suddenly emerged as a center of avant-garde jazz, painting, theater and filmmaking. Ryszard, who was seventeen at the time, immersed himself in this new cultural environment, documenting the birth of Polish jazz and becoming fascinated with American photography.

He moved to the United States in 1959, where he enrolled at New York’s famed Pratt Institute. While still a student at Pratt he was given a scholarship to be an apprentice to Alexey Brodovitch, one of the most influential figures in the world of editorial design and photography at the time. After graduating from Pratt in 1963, Ryszard began to work as a graphic designer for a number of film and design companies and as an art director for Grey Advertising. He opened his own photography studio in 1967, and photography would become his lifelong career and passion.

His work has been exhibited, published and collected around the globe, and Ryszard has been awarded every major accolade that can be bestowed on a photographer. He was named All American Photographer of the Year and received several Gold Medals from the Art Directors Club of New York for some of his ground-breaking work, as well as a number of Doctor Honoris Causa degrees. He is recognized as a pioneer of special effects photography predating digital imaging. In 2017 he was inducted into the International Photography Hall of Fame.

Awards and exhibitions

  1. 2025
    • Hartigovský Palác, Prague, Czech Republic. One man show
  2. 2024
    • Philharmonic Hall, Level 4 Gallery, Szczecin, Poland. One man show
    • Galeria Umelka, Bratislava, Slovakia. One man show
  3. 2022
    • EnergaCAMERIMAGE, Toruń, Poland. One man show
  4. 2021
    • Inducted into the Canon USA Legends Program
  1. 2017
    • Inducted into the International Photography Hall of Fame, St. Louis, MO
  2. 2016
    • RIT University Gallery / Vignelli Center, Rochester, NY. One man show
  3. 2014
    • Art Palace, Kraków, Poland. One man show
    • Commander’s Cross with Star, awarded by the President of the Republic of Poland
    • Honorary Citizen of Kraków
  4. 2012
    • Doctor Honoris Causa, Wrocław Academy of Fine Arts
    • Embiricos Gallery, Paris, France. One man show
  5. 2011
    • Rose Bud Gallery, Art District 798, Beijing, China. One man show
  6. 2010
    • Doctor Honoris Causa, Warsaw Academy of Fine Arts
    • Ukrainian National Gallery, Kyiv, Ukraine. One man show
    • Expo 2010, Shanghai, China. One man show
  1. 2008
    • China Film Archive, Beijing, China. One man show
    • Gloria Artis Gold Medal of Merit to Culture, Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Poland
    • Jazz at Lincoln Center, New York City. One man show
  2. 2007
    • Newport Jazz Festival, Newport, RI. One man show
  3. 2005
    • Westwood Gallery, New York City. One man show
  4. 2004
    • Teatr Wielki, Warsaw, Poland. One man show
    • National Museum, Gdańsk, Poland. One man show
    • Sparkasse Bank Gallery, Essen, Germany. One man show
  5. 2003
    • Instituto Cultural de Providencia, Santiago, Chile. One man show
    • Palacio Carrasco, Viña del Mar, Chile. One man show
    • International Month of Photography, Bratislava, Slovak Republic. One man show
  6. 2002
    • International Gutenberg Awards, Montreal, Canada. Gold Medal
  7. 2001
    • Biennale Internationale de l’Image, Nancy, France. One man show
    • The Polish Museum of America, Chicago. One man show
  8. 2000
    • National Museum “Manggha”, Kraków, Poland. One man show
    • Wieliczka Salt Mines, Wieliczka, Poland. One man show
  1. 1998
    • Palace of Pomeranian Knights, Szczecin, Poland. One man show
  2. 1997
    • Institute of Culture, Sofia, Bulgaria. One man show
    • National Gallery of Art, Sopot, Poland. One man show
  3. 1996
    • Officer Cross of Merit, awarded by the President of the Republic of Poland
    • Silesian Palace of Culture, Katowice, Poland. One man show
    • International Trade Expo, Poznań, Poland. One man show
    • Andy Warhol Museum, Medzilaborce, Slovak Republic. One man show
  4. 1995
    • Galleria Credito Valtellinese, Palazzo delle Stelline, Milan, Italy. One man show
    • 48e Festival International du Film, Festival Palace, Cannes, France. One man show
    • Galerie du Château d’Eau, Toulouse, France. Group exhibition
    • JIP / Journées de l’Image Professionnelle, Arles, France. One man show
    • William A. Reedy Memorial lecture / teleconference, Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester, NY
  5. 1994
    • Tumult Foundation, Toruń, Poland. One man show
  6. 1993
    • “Image Hong Kong ’93” International Photographers’ Meet: “Aspects of Photography” exhibition and “Photographer in Computerland” seminars, Hong Kong Convention Center
  7. 1992
    • The Prague House of Photography, Prague, Czechoslovakia. One man show
    • The Center for Creative Imaging, Camden, Maine. One man show
    • ZPAP, National Gallery of the Polish Society of Artists, Warsaw. One man show with the “Art and Computers” seminars in Warsaw and Kraków
  8. 1991
    • First Annual One APA Advertising Photography Award, Best in Special Effects Photography
    • Kodak’s VIP Image Search ’91 at ACM SIGGRAPH, Las Vegas. Best in Show; Best in Application / Digital Photography
    • Centre de la Photographie, Geneva, Switzerland. One man show
  9. 1990
    • Centre Georges Pompidou, Musée National d’Art Moderne, Paris. “Photographie: De la réclame à la publicité”
  1. 1989
    • George Eastman House, Rochester, NY. “Professional Visions: Photographs from the Archives of the ASMP”, travelling to the Herbert Johnson Museum at Cornell University
    • International Center of Photography, New York. “The Art of Persuasion: A History of Advertising Photography”, travelling to Tokyo, Osaka, Cologne, Rochester and Houston
  2. 1987
    • Zachęta Gallery, National Gallery of Art, Warsaw, Poland. One man show
  3. 1984
    • Creativity ’84, Certificate of Distinction
  4. 1983
    • Named ADWEEK All-American Photographer of the Year
    • Andy Award of Merit
  5. 1982
    • “Gold Caddie”, Best in Car Advertising, Detroit
    • Grand Palais, Paris. “Hommage à Brodovitch”
    • EPCOT Center, Walt Disney World, Orlando. Eastman Kodak exhibition
  6. 1980
    • Touring exhibition of advertising photography, Poland
  1. 1979
    • Hastings Gallery, New York. Fashion photography
  2. 1978
    • Chicago ’78, five Certificates of Excellence
    • Art Directors Club of New York, Certificate of Merit
  3. 1976
    • Creativity ’76, Certificate of Distinction
    • Festival d’Arles, France; Milano Museum, Italy. Fantastic Realism exhibition
  4. 1975
    • Creativity ’75, Certificate of Distinction
    • USIA, Photography USA exhibition
  5. 1974
    • The One Show, Merit Award
  6. 1973
    • The One Show, Gold Award and Merit Award
    • Chicago 4, Certificate of Excellence
    • Philadelphia Art Directors Club, Annual Award of Excellence
    • Society of Publication Designers, Certificate of Merit
    • CA-73, Award of Excellence
    • AIGA, Certificate of Excellence
  7. 1972
    • Art Directors Club of New York, Certificate of Merit
    • AIGA, Certificate of Excellence
  8. 1971
    • AIGA, Certificate of Excellence
    • Creativity ’71, Certificate of Distinction
    • Museum of Contemporary Crafts, New York. Photography show
  9. 1970
    • Art Directors Club of New York, Gold Medal
    • Art Directors Club of New York, Certificate of Merit
    • CA-70, Award of Excellence
    • Mead Library of Ideas, Certificate of Excellence in Graphic Design
  1. 1969
    • Art Directors Club of New York, Certificate of Merit
  2. 1968
    • Art Directors Club of New York, Certificate of Merit
  3. 1967
    • Art Directors Club of New York, Award of Distinctive Merit
  4. 1966
    • CA-66, Award of Excellence
  5. 1965
    • NSAD and USIA Exhibition of American Graphics
    • Typomundus 20, typography exhibition
  6. 1964
    • Art Directors Club of New York, Award of Distinctive Merit
    • CA-64, Merit Award
    • Type Directors Club of New York, Annual Award of Type Excellence
  7. 1961
    • Art Directors Club of New York, Certificate of Merit
  1. 1959
    • Piwnica, Kraków. Painting show
    • Piwnica, Kraków. Photography show
    • Teatr Ludowy, Nowa Huta. Photography show
  2. 1958
    • Teatr 38, Kraków. Painting show
    • Jazz Club, Kraków. Photography show

Published portfolios and books

  1. 2015Ryszard Horowitz: Życie niebywałe. Wspomnienia fotokompozytora, SIW Znak
  2. 2013MIND Magazine #1, China
  3. 2012All That Jazz, a photo book of jazz giants from 1950–60
  4. 2010Ryszard Horowitz: Impressions of Poznań, Wydawnictwo Miejskie Posnania
  5. 2009Ryszard Horowitz / Photocomposer, Ryszard Horowitz Ltd., second edition
  6. 2005Pro Memoria #22, Auschwitz State Museum, Poland
  7. 2004Ryszard Horowitz / Photocomposer, Auriga. Silver Medal, Sappi European Printer of the Year; DP World Magazine #2, China
  8. 2003enVision magazine, Canada
  9. 2002Studio Photography & Design 4/2002; DIGIT, Warsaw
  10. 2000View Camera, Nov/Dec; Canon Insight, autumn
  11. 1998PC Photo, Sept/Oct
  12. 1997Photo Electronic Imaging vol. 40 #8; British Journal of Photography, London
  13. 1996Graphis #302, vol. 52
  14. 1995Ryszard Horowitz, a book by Jon Blair, Robert A. Sobieszek, Barbara Kosińska, WAiF & MM Art Books; Photo Electronic Imaging; Progresso Fotografico; ZOOM International; Fotografisk Tidskrift
  15. 1994Superdesigning #9, Tokyo; Le Photographe #1517, Paris; IdN, Hong Kong; Création Numérique #12.2, Paris
  16. 1993ZOOM #125, Milan; Photo Electronic Imaging, August
  17. 1992Fotografie, Prague; Reflex #46, Prague; Color Foto #8/92, Munich; IDEA #233, Tokyo
  18. 1991PHOTO #1/19, Geneva; 6x9 #4 and #5, Warsaw
  19. 1988The Art of Persuasion: A History of Advertising Photography, Robert A. Sobieszek, Abrams; Fotografia #3–4, Warsaw
  20. 1987Creativity / Advertising Age, December; Photo/Design, Nov/Dec
  21. 1986The Avant-Gardes in New York, S. Tanaka, Tokyo
  22. 1985IDEA #193, Tokyo; How Famous Photographers Work, Amphoto; Encyclopédie internationale des photographes, Camera Obscura
  23. 1982FORM #11, Korea; ZOOM #82, Paris; Commercial Photo #232, Tokyo
  24. 1980Photographie 7/80, Switzerland; ZOOM 5/80, Germany; You and Your Camera, London
  25. 1976Progresso Fotografico #3, Milan; Pardon, Frankfurt; Fotografia #3, Warsaw
  26. 1975Photo Techniques vol. 3 #5, London
  27. 1973IDEA #116, Tokyo; Photographers in New York, Tokyo; Ameryka #117; Kodak International Photography #9
  28. 1972ZOOM #16, Paris
  29. 1971Nikon World vol. 5 #1; Asahi Camera #12, Tokyo
  30. 1970Modern Photography Annual
  31. 1969PHOTO, December, Paris
  32. 1968Popular Photography, “Women”
  33. 1966Infinity, April