Tomasz Urbanowicz was born in Wrocław in 1959. He trained as an architect at Wrocław University of Technology (1978-85) before pursuing glass-window studies at the Fine Arts Academy of Nicolaus Copernicus University in Torun (1982-1985). He then worked as an assistant at the Faculty of Painting and Sculpture at the Architecture Department of the Wrocław Institute. In 1987, together with his wife, architect Beata Urbanowicz, they founded their own studio, Archiglass, focused on creating architectural glass art.
Urbanowicz has used his academic technical training to branch out into various artistic practices (borrowing from the respective skillsets of the painter, sculptor and architect), leaning progressively towards moulding, fusing and pigmenting glass. Aesthetically, the artist’s work has various distinctive qualities, such as an organic ruggedness and chromaticism, as if the polished result was the product of a natural phenomenon.
In 2018 and 2019, Urbanowicz, with the help of Professor Przemysław Tyszkiewicz, developed a novel proprietary technique for consolidating graphics in glass art. The results were showcased for the first time in their joint Corsydians series, which featured in several exhibitions in subsequent years.
Glass being the artist’s material of choice, and unafraid of large-scale creations, Urbanowicz’s works have found homes in numerous public spaces around the world: Duch Palatium, Ostrów Tumski, Poznań (2021); Glass Art EGG, Concierge Desk, Main Building, University of Wrocław (2019); The Spirit of Health, Glass Compositions, Integrative Medical Centre Clinic, Żerniki Wrocławskie (2018); Artistic glass panels in main hall and chapel, T. Marciniak Lower Silesian Specialist Hospital, Wrocław (2015); Glass Waterfalls Facade, Ultranet Office Building, Wrocław (2015); Artistic Glazing, Senate Hall, University of Economics in Katowice (2015); Artistic glass balustrade, ‘ODRA’ European Cooperation Centre, Oława (2014); Big Bang, Campus of the University of Białystok (2013); Architectural glass art – columns, capitals, walls, panels – interior and exterior, Podlasie Opera and Philharmonic, Białystok (2012); Baroque glass, Main Building, University of Wrocław (2011); Glass and stone compositions, Muzeum Karkonoskie, Jelenia Góra (2011); Silver Meteorites, Glass and stone compositions, optical fibre backlit, Swimming Pool, Srebrna Góra (2010); Catamaran Sails, Glass Compositions, optical fibre backlit, swimming pool in Catamaran House, Chyby (2010); Artistic glass panels, Słoneczne Termy, Wielka Pieniawa, Polanica Zdrój (2010); First psalm on curved artistic glasses, Church St. Józef, Przedbórz (2010); Glass facade, Justin Centre, Wrocław (2010); Architectural glass art panels, Pod Złotym Głogiem Restaurant, Market Square, Głogów (2010).
Recent exhibitions include: Robinson’s Ship, Collective Exhibition, The City Gallery and Museum of Architecture, Wrocław (2019); Para. Ceramics. Prints, The Eugeniusz Geppert Academy of Arts and Design Collective Exhibition (host/guest), Oblastni Galerie, Liberec, Czech Republic (2018-2019); Long Night of Museums, Archiglass Gallery ‘Szopa Jazowa’, Wrocław (2018); Glasstosteron, Collective Exhibition (2017-2018); Książ Castle, (March- April 2017); The City Art Gallery, Łódź, (April-May 2017); Glass Heritage Centre, Krosno, (June-August 2017); Glass and Ceramics Centre, Krakow, (September-November 2017); WINDA Gallery of Contemporary Art, Kielce, (January-February 2018); Glass and Ceramics – Sensual Areas, European Capital of Culture, City Arsenal, Wrocław (2016); Glaskunst Exhibition, Cannenburgh Castle, Vaassen, The Netherlands (2016).
