Originally posted on July 1, 2023
It is with great sadness that I share this post, as Swietlan Nicholas Kraczyna, a truly remarkable artist, has recently passed away. This exhibition in Barga was the last we had the privilege of visiting with him. Both the artistic world and our community will feel his loss deeply — Nick was a pioneer of multi-colour lithography, a magical landscapist, and a generous, inspiring presence. His work and spirit will be remembered and cherished forever.
Fifty years of art. Fifty years of love for Barga, going back to that iconic print commissioned by Bruno Sereni of the beautiful Borgo, with its Romanesque Duomo crowning the palazzi and forming a miniature mountain. Fifty years of consummate artistry. Thank you, Swietlan Nicholas Kraczyna. Thank you, ‘Nick’!
Born in the warring borderland between Poland and Russia, Nick’s family fled from the Red Army to find a calmer life in the USA. There, he developed his skills with particular emphasis on multi-plate colour etching, becoming a pioneering master in the field.
Visiting the exhibition, I was struck not just by the technical brilliance of his etchings, but by the emotion and imagination woven into every scene. Nick declared himself not merely a landscape artist but a “magical landscapist,” where the outer world mirrors his inner vision. In Barga, his adopted summer home, he said, “Here, everything does not simply need to be seen but experienced as well.” Standing among his work, I understood exactly what he meant — the landscapes, mythologies, and transformations he depicted seemed to breathe and shimmer with life.
The celebration of Nick’s half-century of creative work was inaugurated at Barga’s Galleria Municipale with the artist cutting the tri-colour ribbon to his exhibition, in the company of Barga’s mayor Caterina Campani and colleagues Kerry Bell and Giorgia Madiai. The sound of Metamorphoses — Britten’s oboe piece inspired by Ovid — filled the gallery, perfectly echoing the mystical world of his etchings.
Nick also shared insights into the painstaking technique of multi-plate etching, or Intaglio, where what is removed from the plate is filled with coloured inks and pressed on paper to create the final work. The alignment of multiple plates requires not just precision but inspiration, and Nick’s mastery made the process look effortless — though every piece carries a lifetime of skill and dedication.
Barga’s Municipal gallery exhibition, largely didactic in approach, was just a taster for the larger show at the Santa Elisabetta conservatory. Further homages were planned on the facade of the Teatro dei Differenti, and from September to October at the museum of the house of poet Giovanni Pascoli. The exhibition catalogue is published by Maria Pacini Fazzi Editore.
Visiting this exhibition, knowing now it was the last with Nick, is a memory I will always hold dear. His work leaves a lasting legacy of colour, imagination, and emotional depth, and his presence — warm, humble, and radiant with curiosity — will be sorely missed. Barga, the art world, and everyone who has experienced his vision have lost a rare and extraordinary soul.
