Jacek Rykała (b. 1950, Sosnowiec), From the series: "Twilight - Lolek" ("Romantic History"), 1998/2002

Biography
Painter, professor of painting and pro-rector at the Academy of Fine Arts in Katowice, leads the Drawing and Painting Studio; poet and director. Graduated from the Faculty of Graphic Arts at the Academy of Fine Arts in Katowice in 1976. The subject matter of his works is filled with the face of the eastern part of Upper Silesia and Zagłębie Dąbrowskie (backyards, gates, mysterious places not only from his childhood). Works presented around the world in more than 50 solo exhibitions and 250 group exhibitions, dozens of art fairs (Art Frankfurt, Art Köln, Art Chicago and others). He had a solo exhibition at the National Museum in Cracow (2002). He is the recipient of dozens of awards and prizes, including: first prize in the Z. R. Pomorski National Painting Contest (Katowice 1980), prizes at the 10th and 15th Polish Painting Festival in Szczecin (1980, 1988), medals at the National Painting Exhibitions "Bielska Jesień" (Bielsko-Biała 1978, 1980), a distinction at the Internationale Kunstbiennale "Seetal" in Switzerland (1985), the Award of the City of Sosnowiec for artistic activity for 1992.