Rafał Strent – Imaginarium
Solo Exhibition
Opening: March 12th, 2026 (Thursday), 6:00 PM
Venue: Retroavangarda Gallery
Aleje Jerozolimskie 146D, Warsaw
Curator: dr Anna Kłos
Exhibition dates: through the end of May 2026
Organizers: Akademia WIT, Retroavangarda
About the Exhibition
The solo exhibition Imaginarium by Professor Rafał Strent has a retrospective character. It presents both prints created several decades ago and his most recent paintings, revealing the consistency and evolution of his artistic approach.
From the very beginning, the Artist’s work has been driven by a need for experimentation. In printmaking, which he practiced for many years, he consciously transgressed technological constraints, treating the matrix not as a tool of reproduction but as a field for creative intervention. He experimented with form and color, modifying the process of multiplication so that each impression within a given series became an autonomous, unique work. This courage in challenging established rules—combined with deep respect for craftsmanship—remains the foundation of his artistic practice to this day.
A special place in the exhibition is devoted to works from his latest painting cycle. These paintings are joyful, fresh, and full of visual energy. Multi-layered scenes of everyday life coexist with fantastical elements. The inspiration comes from the Artist’s lived experiences, memories, and observations, which take on a surreal, at times oneiric character. Reality is filtered through imagination—as if viewed in a half-dream, in a state of attentive and tender reflection.
The Artist’s family, including his grandchildren, is also involved in the creative process. This intergenerational dialogue lends the paintings lightness and authenticity. It is art born of relationships, conversation, and shared experience. The works function as a personal record—reflections on life, emotions, and a sense of wonder toward everyday reality, where gravity intertwines with humor.
Professor Strent’s organizational and pedagogical activity has helped shape the Polish artistic community of recent decades. As a teacher and authority, he has formed successive generations of artists, holding numerous positions in academic institutions and artistic organizations. Yet despite his impressive achievements and numerous honors, he has remained modest and warm. This attitude—grounded in attentiveness and respect—also permeates his work. Imaginarium is therefore not only a story about an artist’s imagination, but also about the sensitivity of a person who co-creates what is most valuable in culture.
dr Anna Kłos
Curator of the exhibition
Artist Biography
Rafał Strent (born 1943 in Lutsk, Volhynia) – painter, printmaker, draftsman.
Graduate of the Faculty of Painting at the Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw (diploma in 1972 in the studio of Professor Aleksander Kobzdej; annex in artistic printmaking under Professor Halina Chrostowska). From 1990 to 1996 he served as Dean of the Faculty of Graphic Arts at his alma mater and held the title of full professor until 2013.
Since 2009 he has led studios of printmaking, painting, and drawing at the WIT Academy in Warsaw (under the auspices of the Polish Academy of Sciences). Author of over 90 solo exhibitions in Poland and abroad and participant in approximately 350 group exhibitions. Laureate of numerous artistic awards and state decorations.
Selected Awards and Distinctions
- 1971 – Distinction, International Painting Competition “Musée 2000,” Luxembourg
- 1972 – Distinction, 1st International Print Biennale, Vienna
- 1972 – Second Prize, International Print Competition, Sofia
- 1978 – Two Sponsored Awards, National Print Exhibition, Warsaw
- 1979 – Distinction, Polish-Finnish Marine Graphics Competition, Gdańsk/Turku
- 1979 – Distinction, International Grand Prix of Contemporary Art, Monte Carlo
- 1983 – Distinction, “Polnische Künstler Heute,” Landau (FRG)
- 1987, 1993, 1995, 1996, 2002 – Rector’s Award, Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw
- 2003 – Award of the Minister of National Education and Sport
- 2003 – Individual Award of the Minister of Culture for outstanding artistic and pedagogical achievements
- 2004 – Gold Cross of Merit of the Republic of Poland
- 2004 – Honorary Diploma of the Minister of Culture of the Republic of Bulgaria for the promotion of Bulgarian culture
- 2005 – “Meritorious Cultural Activist” Badge of the Ministry of Culture
- 2005 – Centenary Medal of the Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw
- 2010 – Award of the Minister of Culture and National Heritage for contributions to arts education
- 2012 – Individual Award of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education for organizational achievements
- 2013 – Silver Medal “Gloria Artis” for Merit to Culture
- 2018 – “Silver Cane” – honorary distinction of the Society of Friends of the Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw
- 2018 – Gold Medal “Gloria Artis” for Merit to Culture
Photo report from the opening of the exhibition: