He graduated from the Faculty of Forestry at the Academy of Agriculture (now University of Life Sciences) in Poznań in 1973. He earned his doctorate and habilitation in photography and multimedia at the Academy of Fine Arts in Poznań (now University of Arts). Leszek Szurkowski is involved in photography, applied graphics, book design and photo-illustration, as well as visual communication and media consultancy. In 1982, he founded Studio LES Inc. in Canada, which is active in advertising, visual communication, multimedia, photography and graphic design. From 1992 to 2003 he was a visiting professor at the Academy of Fine Arts in Poznan. Since 2007, he has been a professor and lecturer at the Faculty of Graphic Design at the Academy of Humanities and Economics (AHE) in Łódź. From 2011 to 2014, he was dean of the art faculty at AHE. In 2014, he started working as a consultant in the field of Visual Communication and Media for the Arriyadh Development Authority in the Atturaif Museology project (Old Dir'aiyah, UNESCO), in Riyadh / Saudi Arabia.

Since 1964, the artist has participated in more than 150 national and international group exhibitions. Between 1965 and 2020, he realised more than 50 solo exhibitions. He has been a member of the Union of Polish Artists Photographers since 1972. He has cooperated with Nikon-Poland and Nikon-Europe for several years. In the 1980s, Leszek Szurkowski was strongly influenced by conceptual art, and was engaged in analysing the rules of photographic communication. Increasing his repertoire of possibilities, he took up advertising photography, in which artificiality played a primary role. Then came a stage in which the photographer strove for the most neutral representation of the world, as if reality itself were capturing passing moments on photographic film. Szurkowski is extremely consistent in his attention to the rules of photographic organisation, to the language used by everyone reaching for the camera and to the cultural symbolism of this medium. Having achieved perfection in capturing reality with the camera, the artist now seems to be seeking simplicity and truth in photography.

"For now, we stare at a magical computer screen, we type on a keyboard, and an MP3 sounds in our ears. And what happens if suddenly SOMEONE unplugs this global plug and we lose the source of energy that powers the toys? The sun will always remain and only what we can retain in our memory and our skills independent of any media" ("Camer@obscura" No. 3-4, 2007).

Two documentary films have been made about the art of photography by Leszek Szurkowski: Les Szurkowski - Nikon Testimonials, Nikon Europe, 2008; Leszek Szurkowski - Macro Photography, Nikon Poland, 2008.

Leszek Szurkowski's works have been printed in, among others: Graphic Photo, Communication Arts Magazine, Graphic Excellence USA, Studio Magazine, Masters of Photography, APA Awards Book, How, Applied Arts, Photo District News. The artist is represented by First Light - Toronto, Illulogica.com - Warsaw.

Selected solo exhibitions: Photographs, ZPAF Gallery, Krakow, 1978; Mental Photography, Foto-Instalacja, Gorzow Wielkopolski, 1979; Photographs and Drawings, F.M.A. Gallery. Wrocław, 1979; Drawings and Serigraphs, Foto Medium Gallery, Wrocław, 1981; Venetian Circles, Gallery Pekao, Toronto, 1992; Photographs, PAAS Gallery, New York, 1992; Photo-Illustrations, PAAS Gallery, New York, 1994; Spirit of Atlantis, San Diego, USA, 1995; Photollustrations: P Gallery, Piła, Gallery HMAC, Los Angeles, Gallery Artgraph, Tokyo, Galeri PF, Zamek Municipal Cultural Centre, Poznań, 1995; Collages, Witkacy Gallery, S. I. Theatre. Witkiewicz, Zakopane, 1996; Photography as Unreality, MacLaren Art Centre, Barrie, Canada, 1996; Japanese Walks, Digital Gallery, Tokyo, 1996; Commerciando, BWA Design Gallery, Wrocław and SARP Gallery, Kazimierz, 1997; Photography as Unreality, Wagner Rosenbaum Gallery, Toronto, 1997; Oaxacana, Pekao Gallery, Toronto, 1998; Photollustrations, Krakow Film Festival, SWP Gallery, Krakow, 1998; Stones from the Great World, PF Gallery, Poznan, 1999; Nastyku, Centre for Contemporary Art, Warsaw, 2000; Nastyku II, B&B Gallery, Bielsko Biala, 2001; Szurkowski at Siemaszkowa, Siemaszkowa Theatre Gallery, Rzeszow, 2001; Constructions &Accidental Graphics -Lestyki, BWA Gallery, Plock, 2001; Veneziana, Small Gallery, Żary, 2002; Les Imaginary Forest, FF Gallery, Łódź, 2003; Les Szurkowski, Nikon Gallery, Cologne, Photokina 2006; Les Szurkowski, Nikon Gallery, Cologne, Photokina 2008; Natura Nuda, 18th Saint-Petersburg Photo Fair, St. Petersburg. Petersburg, 2013; Incidental&Accidental, two solo exhibitions (with Ryszard Tabaka),CKS, Nakło Slaskie, 2016; Urban Surgery, Installation, R+ Gallery, ASP, Szczecin, 2018; Incidental&Accidental, 4 Level Gallery, Szczecin Philharmonic, 2018.

Selected group exhibitions: First Biennale of Student Photography, Szczecin, 1972; Contemporary Polish Photography, Fuji Salon, Tokyo, 1973; United Nations World Competition of Photography, Nairobi/Kenya, Amsterdam/Holland, 1974; Poland in Mexico, Festival of Polish Art, Orosco Gallery, Mexico, 1975; J. Berdyszak, G. Sztabiński, L. Szurkowski, BWA Gallery, Lublin, 1976; Polish Photography, International Center of Photography, New York, Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago, 1979; Second International Triennale of Drawing, Museum of Architecture and Historical Museum, Wrocław, 1981; Three Artists from Poland - Z. Dlubak, J. Olek, L. Szurkowski, Al. Gallery, Tokyo, 1981; Poznań Artists 1945-1985. Exhibition of post-war art in Poznań, National Museum, BWA "Arsenal" Poznań, 1986; Creative Decade 1976-1986, International Exhibition, Art. Director's Club, Hamburg, 1987; Scattered Photography, Polish Multi-Media Photography of the Eighties, BWA "Arsenal" Gallery, Poznan, 1988; Polish American Artists Society Group Exhibition, Gallery Del Arts Petroleos Mexicanos, Mexico, 1989; InterArt - 2nd International Exhibition of Advertising Photography, Poznań, 1989; CAPIC National Show, Ontario Place, Toronto, 1991; Multimedia 94, Toronto Convention Centre; CAPIC National Show, Ontario Science Centre, Toronto, 1994; Pix'Arles, JIP International Image Festival, Arles/France, 1996; 3 International Biennial of Computer Graphics, Rzeszow, 1998; Art Village Studio Annual Exhibition, Gallery Wagner Rosenbaum, Toronto, 1998; From A to Z, ABC Canada&EnRoute, Montreal,Toronto,Vancouver, 2001; To His Neighbour, Zachęta Gallery, Arsenal Gallery/Poznań, 2001; Common Places - Exhibition of Professors of the Faculty of Multimedia, Academy of Fine Arts in Poznań, Stary Browar, 2004; Kunst aus Polen, Exhibition of Professors of the Faculty of Multimedia, Academy of Fine Arts in Poznań, Automobil Forum, Berlin, 2005; Solid Art (Solidarność-plakaty etc.) 1980-2005, Brussels, 2005; Eight - ZPAF Old Gallery, Warsaw and Rassim Gallery, Algiers, 2006; 20th Century in Polish Photography, Polish State Committee of Culture, Warsaw, 2007; Space, Body, Events, Stary Browar, Poznań and ZPAF Old Gallery, Warsaw, 2008; Conceptualism. Photographic Medium, City Museum Łódź, 2010; Photographic Imprints, Contact - a month of photography in Toronto, Art Square Gallery, Toronto, 2011; Divided Horizon, Les Szurkowski, Akira Komoto, Ed Butrynski&Mark Ruwedel, MacLaren Art Centre, Barrie, Canada, 2012; Independence of Art - Freedom of the Artist, Installation "Urban Surgery" Konduktorownia Gallery, Częstochowa, 2018; That's the way it was, ZPAF Obok Gallery, Warsaw, 2020.

For his work in the field of photography, artistic research and publishing achievements, Leszek Szurkowski has been repeatedly recognised and has won many awards, including: Gold Medal "Debuts of Spring"-Young Polish Art, 1973; Award of Excellence, Communication Arts Magazine, Palo Alto, California, 1984; Annual Award "Creative Decade 1976-1986" International Competition Studio Magazine, Canada, 1986; Gold Medal and Special Award "Shootout 88" Photokina Int. Comp. Cologne, 1988; Advertising Photographers of America 1991 Merit Award, New York; Gold and Bronze Medal, CAPIC National Show, Toronto, 1993; Awards Annual Winner - "Applied Arts Quarterly, Canada 1994; Kodak Platinum Award CAPIC National Show, Toronto, 1994; First Prize "The Carrot Gallery" Annual Contest, Toronto, 1995; Special Prize First International Computer Art Biennale, Rzeszów, 1995; 2 Bronze Medals&2 Merit Awards, CAPIC National Show , Toronto, 1995; Graphic Photo 95 Annual Award, Zurich, 1995; Grand Prix "Pix'Arles", JIP International Image Festival, France, 1996; Silver Medal, Studio Magazine Intern. Comp. Toronto 1996; Silver Medal, CAPIC National Show, Toronto, 1997; First Prize "Vidical 1999" Poster Museum, Wilanów, 1999; Two Second Prizes "Vidical 2000" Poster Museum, Wilanów, 2000; A. Lukaszewicz Award.Łukaszewicz Award for the Most Beautiful Book of the Year "Poznaniana 2002" for the book "Secession in the Architecture of Poznan", 2003; Award of the Rector of the University of Poznan for the book "Secession in the architecture of Poznan", 2004; "Pióro Fredry" for the most beautiful book of the year "Secession in the architecture of Wroclaw", 2009; KLIO 2010- award for level of editing "Chopin" Wyd. Bosz, "Pióro Fredry" for the most beautiful book of the year "Chopin" Wyd. Bosz, 2010; Adobe Design Achievement Award, Honorable Mention, in the category "Innovation in traditional media in education", 2012.

Leszek Szurkowski has collaborated on the visual concept and graphic design, photo development and preparation for print of many books, including: The Chopin Year, Culture Foundation and MKiDN, Warsaw, 1999; Jarosław Abramow-Newerly, The Spirit of Atlantis, Designhouse Inc./Les Inc. Studio, Canada, 1994; Piotr Maluśkiewicz, Leszek Szurkowski, Poznań 2000 Miniatura, Wyd. Miejskie, Poznań 2000; John Berendt, Leszek Szurkowski, Miasto Spadających Aniołów, Dom Wyd. REBIS, 2006; Kadruj z głową, Nikon Polska, 2008; Teresa Jabłońska, Leszek Szurkowski, Styl zakopiański Stanisława Witkiewicza, Wyd. Bosz, 2008; Mieczysław Tomaszewski, Chopin, Wyd. Bosz, 2010; Joy of Photography, Leszek Szurkowski - texts and photographs, Nikon Polska, 2011; M. Kleiber, H. Samsonowicz, Fr. Ziejka - texts, Poland, Wyd. Bosz, 2012; Deserts of Saudi Arabia-author's limited edition, 2015; Isle of Lewis-Scotland-author's limited edition, 2015. Nature Boredom-author's limited edition, 2017.

Publications - Leszek Szurkowski - Introduction to exhibition catalogue, BWA, Poznań, 1972; Jerzy Olek, Leszek Szurkowski, Foto, Warsaw, 1976; Grzegorz Sztabinki, Leszek Szurkowski, Exhibition catalogue, ZPAF Gallery, Warsaw, 1976; Jerzy Olek, Leszek Szurkowski, Photographs, Prague 1978; Simone Collier, Leszek Szurkowski, Studio Magazine, Canada, 1985; Andrzej Pawłowski, Leszek Szurkowski's Photography, Związkowiec, Canada, 1987; Winnie Czulinsk, Leszek Szurkowski- Mr. Everything, Photo Life, Canada, 1992; Jolanta Zydroń, My Dzisiaj - O sztuce pokolenia lat 70., exhibition catalogue, BWA, Poznań, 1993; William Moore, Photographs as Unreality, MacLaren Art Centre, exhibition catalogue, Canada, 1997; Ryszard K. Przybylski, Contractual World of Photography, exhibition catalogue- Pebbles from the Great World, PF Gallery, Poznań, 1999; Marek Grygiel, Leszek Szurkowski-Nastyku, CCA, Warsaw, 2000; Leszek Szurkowski, Chip Foto Video, 2005, June, Wrocław; Leszek Szurkowski, Pozytyw, 2006, October, Warsaw; Accidental Graphics, Camera Obscura, 2007, March-April, Wrocław; Accidental Graphics, Foto Kurier, 2008, May, Warsaw; Accidental Paris, Private Spaces, ZPAF, 2011, Poznań.