Kasimir Glaz
Kazimir Glaz (1931– ) is a Polish Canadian painter and printmaker born in Borki Nizinskie, Poland, who established himself as an artist and printmaker before immigrating to Canada from France in 1968. Glaz’s artistic journey in Poland was marked by his founding of the Sensibilism movement in 1956, in which Glaz played a significant role. The movement, positioned between social realism and the avant-garde, emerged from Glaz’s personal artistic beliefs, emphasizing the importance of creative individuality and freedom. Kazimir organized the first Sensibilist spectacles in Wroclaw, which later became part of the international “happenings” movement, also known as Fluxus.
Upon moving to Canada, Glaz continued to explore new artistic avenues developing his unique printmaking techniques, Alongside his artwork, Glaz also contributed to the art community in Canada. He founded the Toronto Centre for Contemporary Art in 1969 and served as its director. Through this center, he initiated the Community Art Collections project, which established permanent displays of artwork in public schools. In 1996, Glaz organized an exhibition in Toronto showcasing drawings by students from the Wroclaw Art School, presenting artwork that had been almost forgotten.
Glaz received various accolades throughout his career. He represented Poland at the IV International Biennial of Paris in 1966 and was awarded the prestigious Marc Chagall Prize. In 1972, he won the main prize for best original print at the Ontario competition and received a gold medal at the VII International Print Biennial in Krakow, Poland, in 1978.