Artist Biography & Facts

Richard Filipowski

Richard Filipowski, best known for his abstract bronze and silver sculptures of intriguing depth and repetition, is also noted for first bringing the German Bauhaus philosophy and style to Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in 1952.

Born in Poland and raised in Canada, Filipowski trained at the Institute of Design in Chicago under Lázló Moholy-Nagy, a former Bauhaus faculty member and founder of the Chicago school.  He was largely influenced by Moholy and taught for four years at the Institute after graduating.

In 1950 Filipowski was invited to Harvard, and taught at the Harvard University Design school before moving on to MIT where he introduced a curriculum modeled after the Bauhaus teachings.  Filipowski emphasized "finding form" in his work whether it is sculpture, printing, drawing or painting.

His art has been part of exhibitions such as the Boston Arts Festival, Art for United States Embassies at the Institute of Contemporary Art in Boston, as well as one-man shows at the Institute of Design in Chicago, the Linn Gallery in Illinois, and the Joan Peterson Gallery in Boston.  His work is also part of numerous collections, including, the Addison Gallery of American Art in Andover Massachusetts and the Philadelphia Museum of Art.

Education:
Art Studies in Toronto, Canada, beginning 1939
Illinois Institute of Technology with Laszlo Moholy-Nagy, 1942-1946

Teaching Positions:
Illinois Institute of Technology, 1946-1950
Directs the Fundamentals of Design Program at Harvard University's Graduate School of Design, 1950-52
Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 1953 - 1989

Awards:
Vimy Memorial Poster Competition, 1939
Honorable Mention, national design competition for dormitories at Smith College, 1945
Alfred P. Sloan Award, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 1957
First Prize for Sculpture, Boston Arts Festival, 1958
The Aleck and Ruth McClean Award, 1967
Named Professor Emeritus by Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 1988

Exhibitions:
Julien Levy Gallery, New York, 1944
Illinois Institute of Design, Chicago, 1947 (solo)
Art Institute of Chicago, 1947, 1948, 1949
The Benjamin Gallery, 1948
Illinois State Museum, 1949
Linn Gallery, 1950 (solo)
Graduate School of Design, Harvard University, 1951 (solo)
Boris Mirski Gallery, 1953 (solo)
De Cordova Museum, Lincoln, MA, 1958 (solo)
Boston Arts Festival, 1958, 1959
Nexus Gallery, 1959
Institute of Contemporary Art, Boston, 1959, 1960, 1963, 1965, 1966
Joan Peterson Gallery, 1962, 1964, 1967, 1974 (solo)
Museum of Art and Science, Nashua, NH, 1963
De Cordova Museum, Lincoln, MA, 1965, 1969, 1972
Hayden Gallery, MIT, 1966
U.S. State Department, Art in Embassies Program, 1966 - 71 (solo)
Prudential Center Gallery, 1967, 1969
Fogg Art Museum, Harvard University, 1967
Ogunquit Art Museum, 1967
Beverly Tercentenary Celebration Arts Festival, MA, 1968
Fitchburg Art Museum, MA, 1968 (solo)
U.S. Embassy, Poland, 1968, 1969 (solo)
Gallery of the State Street Bank, 1969
Marblehead Arts Festival, MA, 1969
University State College, Oneonta, New York, 1969
Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 1988, 1989, 2005 (solo)
Noguchi Museum, New York, 2005
De Menil Museum, Houston, TX, 2006

Public Collections:
Philadelphia Museum of Art
Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
Walter Gropius House Museum
Addison Gallery of American Art
De Menil Collection Museum
Massachusetts Institute of Technology Museum
Cary Memorial Library
David Rockefeller
State Street Bank and Trust Company
Boston Safe Deposit and Trust Company
Chase Manhattan Bank
First National Bank

Private Collections:
Dr. James R. Killian, Cambridge, MA
David Rockefeller, New York, NY
Herbert Agoos, Cambridge, MA
Max Wasserman, Newton, MA
Jeptha Wade, Bradford, MA
Dr. T. Berry Brazelton, Cambridge, MA
Dr. Charles H. Goyette, Nashua, NH
Mr. and Mrs. Norman Harrower, Fitchburg, MA
Mr. and Mrs. Thomas McNulty, Lincoln, MA
Mr. and Mrs. Walter Gropius, Lincoln, MA
Pietro Belluschi, Boston, MA
Henry Closs, Cambridge, MA
Thomas Haworth, Toronto, Canada
Mr. and Mrs. Allan Mann, Newton, MA
Mr. and Mrs. Alan Steinert, Cambridge, MA
Estate of Nathaniel Saltonstall, Boston, MA
Mr. and Mrs. Hollis K. Thayer, Brooklyn, NY
Mr. O. K. Mawardi, Cleveland Heights, OH
Mr. and Mrs., James Davison, Larchmont, NY
Mr. and Mrs. Robert Newman, Lincoln, MA
Edward F. Daily Jr., Osterville, MA
Mr. and Mrs. E. Eaton, Lexington, MA
Nancy Claflin, Belmont, MA
Dr. Herbert C. Seigert, Boxford, MA
Thayer Freemont-Smith, Melrose, MA
Mr. and Mrs. Don Paulis, Swampscott, MA
Winifred Lyons, Chelmsford, MA
Lawrence B. Anderson, Lincoln, MA

Selected Commissions:
Reliefs for Ark, Entranceway and Eternal Light, Temple Israel, Swampscott, MA, 1955
Candelabra, Temple Emmanuel, Dallas, TX, 1956
Untitled, Sheration Corporation, Dallas, TX, 1960
Ark in the Chapel, Temple B'rith Kodesh, Rochester, NY, 1962
Cross, Chancel Light and Candelabra, Trinity Lutheran Church, Chelmsford, MA, 1963
Fence, North End Branch, Boston Public Library, 1964
Untitled, Sheraton Corporation, Prudential Center, Boston, MA, 1964
Cross, Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church, Philadelphia, PA, 1965
Untitled, Revere Copper and Brass Corporation, 1965

Publications:
Opening Note, Hattula Moholy-Nagy
Finding Form: The Art of Richard Filipowski, exhibition publication, MIT Museum, 2005
Lessons Learned: Thoughts on Filipowski, Richard Dattner and Carol Bankerd
At the Intersections of Painting, Drawing, Sculpture and Design, Larry List

Reviews:
"A Gift of Friendship", Carol Bruce, Historic New England Museum, 2002