1938         Born in Suez, Egypt, of Greek father and Italian mother
1939         Family travels to Greece. War is declared
1945-53   Attends Greek Community School in Suez, Egypt
1953-55   Attends British School, Suez
1955         Exodus of Europeans from Egypt. Family moves to Sydney, Australia
1956-59   Attends the Bissietta Art School. Works as a draughtsman in industry
1959-60   Attends the Brera Academy, Milan, Italy 
1959-60   Studies sculpture with Luciano Minguzzi
1959-60   Travels extensively in Italy, France and England. Marries Philippa Wilkin
1960         Returns to Sydney. Joins ACI as industrial designer.
1961         Meets Clement Meadmore and Max Hutchinson.
1961         Designs furniture and exhibition stands with Meadmore
1961         Starts experimenting with welded metals. Produces first wearable objects
1962         Meets Ron Sutherland, architect for Wollongong Teachers College
1962         Becomes an Australian citizen
1963         Begins teaching at the School of Architecture, University of Sydney
1963         Commission for panels at Wollongong Teachers College
1963         Joins Hungry Horse Gallery, Sydney
1964         Officially changes his name from Raftopoulos to Raft
1964         Meets Patrick White and Manoly Lascaris
1965         By invitation participates in the Helena Rubinstein Travelling Scholarship
1966         Travels to England and Europe. Teaches at Croydon College of Art, London
1966         First ‘White’ paintings 
1967-69   Begins teaching at Birmingham College of Art and Design
1967         Travels to France, Italy and Greece
1969         Travels to the USA, participated in ‘Sculpture ‘69’, Byron Gallery, New York
1969         Participates in the Transfield Prize. First metal paintings
1969         Returns to New York at the end of 1969, travels to Canada
1969         Invitation from Jorgen Jensen, New York, to exhibit wearable objects
1969         Meets Barnett Newman, Claes Oldenburg and John Hoyland.
1970         Returns to London where he lives until 1978. Meets Helen Thaw
1970         Is considered as a British jeweller and shown internationally
1970         First lead paintings, lead and slate sculptures
1971         Begins teaching at Sutton College of Liberal Arts
1971         Starts series of geometric works on paper using brass-rubbing technique
1975         Marries Helen Thaw in London
1977         First solo exhibition in London
1978         Moves to Sydney. Teaches at the Alexander Mackie College of Advanced
                   Education and at the School of Architecture, University of Sydney
1981         Teaches at City Art Institute, Sydney College of the Arts
1982         Commenced Master of Arts, Geometry in Byzantine Art
1984-90   Head of Sculpture at City Art Institute
1984         Resident at the Cite Internationale des Arts, Paris 
1984         Visits Mount Athos, Greece; Saint Catherine’s Monastery, Sinai; & Egypt
1986         Awarded Master of Arts degree. Joined Coventry Gallery, Sydney
1989         Resident at the Cite International des Arts, Paris
1989         Series of lithographs produced at the Atelier Champfleury, Paris
1990-96   Senior Lecturer, College of Fine Arts, University of NSW
1992         Establishes studio in south-west France
1995         First series of paintings in France studio. Travels to Greece, UK & New York
1995         Lives between Sydney, France and Greece

Solo Exhibitions

1962         Barry Stern Gallery, Sydney
1962         Douglas Gallery, Sydney
1963         Marian Best Design Studio, Sydney
1963         Gallery A, Melbourne
1963         White Studio, Adelaide
1963         Hungry Horse Gallery, Sydney
1964, 65  Hungry Horse Gallery Sydney
1966         Bonython Gallery, Sydney and Adelaide
1968,69   Bonython Gallery, Sydney
1973         Bonython Gallery, Sydney
1977         Electrum Gallery, London
1978         Robin Gibson Gallery, Sydney
1978         Bonython Gallery, Adelaide
1978         Makers Mark Gallery, Melbourne
1979         Robin Gibson Gallery, Sydney
1986         ‘Angels and Mirrors’, Coventry, Sydney
1987         ‘Icarus and Muses’, Coventry, Sydney
1989         ‘Celebration of the Last Flight’, Coventry, Sydney
1990         ‘The Wall’ and ‘The Firing Party’, Coventry, Sydney
1992         ‘The Oracle, The Votive, The Icon’, Coventry, Sydney
1994         ‘The Fibonacci Series’, Coventry, Sydney

Awards  

1964          Young Contemporaries Art Prize
1964          Freedom from Hunger Art Prize
1964          Royal Agricultural Society Prize

Collections

National Gallery of Australia, Canberra
Art Gallery of NSW, Sydney
National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne
Art Gallery of South Australia, Adelaide
Parliament House, Canberra
Powerhouse Museum, Sydney
Bathurst Regional Art Gallery
College of Fine Arts, University of NSW
Wollongong University, NSW
Artbank, Sydney
Coventry Collection, Sydney
Gadens Collection, Sydney
Commonwealth Bank, Sydney
Prixe Waterhouse, Sydney
Tattersalls, Sydney
Goldsmiths Hall, London
Mertz Collection, USA

Source:
Peter Pinson, ‘Emanuel Raft’, Craftsman House, Sydney, 1997