Ryszard Horowitz was born in Krakow in 1939. Four months later, the Nazis invaded his homeland, and his entire family was sent to concentration camps. Miraculously, they all survived and, after the war, were among the few Jewish families who managed to rebuild their lives in Krakow. Ryszard is one of the youngest known survivors of Auschwitz.

Ryszard Horowitz graduated from the Secondary School of Fine Arts and the Academy of Fine Arts in Krakow. With support from an American university, he moved to New York and began studying design at Pratt Institute. He worked for numerous agencies, including as an art director at Grey Advertising. In November 1967, he opened his own photography studio, which he runs to this day. Photography became his lifelong passion and the foundation of his professional career.

For the next forty-five years, his work was exhibited, published, and collected worldwide. Ryszard Horowitz received all the major awards and titles bestowed upon photographers. In 2008, he was awarded the Gloria Artis Gold Medal for Merit to Culture by the Ministry of Culture. In 2010, he received an honorary doctorate from the Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw, and in 2012 from the Academy of Fine Arts in Wrocław. In 2014, he received the title of Honorary Citizen of Krakow and the Commander's Cross with Star from the President of the Republic of Poland. He is considered a pioneer in the use of special effects in photography in the pre-digital era. In 1983, Ryszard Horowitz was named American Photographer of the Year.

For detailed information about his photography, please contact the gallery.