Topolski Studio
+44(0)7933512621
Feliks Topolski RA (1907 - 1989)
Feliks Topolski RA (1907–1989) was a key artist of the 20th century. He became particularly well known in Britain following his role as a war artist for Britain and Poland during World War II.
He covered a vast range of subjects in his work, travelling throughout the world as a visual chronicler. He captured historic figures such as Martin Luther King, Mahatma Gandhi, Malcolm X, Bob Dylan, Elvis Presley and Louis Armstrong, and moments such as Castro’s Havana, Apartheid South Africa, and the Vietnam War. Topolski worked with a commitment to ‘impartiality’, striving to live life not as one of those who made history, but one who recorded it.
A prolific portraitist, illustrator, and painter, he described himself as a "universal everyman," drawing from his rich Polish, Jewish, and British heritage.
His works are now held in major national collections, including Tate Britain, the V&A, and the National Portrait Gallery in the UK, and the National Museum in Warsaw, amongst others.
Feliks Topolski Archive
The Feliks Topolski archive contains thousands of drawings, prints, publications, and papers produced across the world, over more than five decades by Feliks Topolski. It constitutes a major record of modern history seen through Topolski’s practice of reportage drawing, writing and painting.
We are grateful to currently be cataloguing the collection with the support of an ‘Archives Revealed’ grant from the National Archives. Portions of the archive are available for access by researchers and students.
Topolski Studio
Topolski’s South Bank studio is a working cultural site used for archiving, research, and public programmes. Activities include exhibitions, talks, workshops, and artist-led projects responding to the collection and the legacy of documentary art.
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Arch 158,
Hungerford Arches, Belvedere Rd,
London SE1 8XU
By appointment
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Whats on
River Art Walk Open Studio Saturday, March 21st , 2026
2:00pm - 4:00pm - Open Studio and Tour
Discover the life and work of Feliks Topolski RA in a free tour of the Topolski Studio Archive in collaboration with the River Art Walk.
Life drawingWednesdays: 7 - 9pm
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Drawing dance in motion
Sat 31 Jan 2026
Sat 28 Feb 2026
Sat 28 Mar 2026
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