Killcare Heights artist Ralph Podolski has realised a lifetime ambition, with a solo exhibition of his artworks on show at Gosford Regional Gallery.
Now aged 96, Podolski was first featured in Coast Community News last March, searching for someone to help catalogue his huge body of artwork and hopeful of seeing it exhibited.
Following the response to our story, friend and neighbour David Barnett was able to set up a volunteer group which has catalogued many of Podolski’s paintings and written his biography for family and friends.
On January 12 the Polish-born artist realised the second of his dreams, when his exhibition, A Life of Time and Change, officially opened at the gallery.
Podolski lived through the nightmare of World War II, experiencing the bombing of Warsaw in 1939, joining the Polish resistance and being incarcerated in multiple concentration camps as a young man.
Throughout his horrific war experiences, Podolski retained his love of art, born during his very early years growing up in the picturesque countryside of Poland.
After the war he reactivated his passion.
He migrated to Australia in 1950, doing re-touches and commercial artwork for several years before heading to Canada where he studied at the College of Art in Toronto, then working on cinema poster design and furthering his art studies in Paris for a time before eventually returning to Australia in 1964.
He worked as a graphic artist for various companies before securing a job as a visual aids officer at the NSW Institute of Technology.
During those years, Podolski produced a huge volume of artwork, twice being named a finalist in the prestigious Archibald Prize and completing dozens of impressive paintings reflecting strong themes of war, race, religion and family with his distinctive and striking style shining through.
Barnett said the launch of the exhibition was “superb”.
“Ralph was surprised with the attendance – probably about 100 – and also the quality of the display,” he said.
“The gallery did a great job and they had commissioned Jason van Genderen to make a video of Ralph for the exhibition.
“He produced a beautiful video of about six minutes with Ralph explaining his art.
“Tim Braham, the Gallery Director, opened the exhibition with a great introduction, then Steve McKenzie, one of the volunteers on the Ralph Project gave a lovely overview of Ralph and his art.
“Also there on the night was Marta Kiec-Gubala, Secretary at the Consulate General of the Republic of Poland in Sydney, who presented Ralph with a beautiful bouquet of flowers and an impressive book on historical Polish art.
“She then gave a beautiful speech recognising Ralph’s service to Poland in the Second World War and his talent as an artist.
“I also received a letter from the Polish Ambassador apologising because he couldn’t attend and asking if Ralph would consent to an exhibition of his work at the Polish Embassy in Canberra to coincide with the Polish Constitution Day on May 3; what a great honour for him.
“Ralph has almost been glowing since the opening.”
A Life of Time and Change will be on show in the foyer at Gosford Regional Gallery from 9.30am to 4pm daily until February 25.
Terry Collins