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Polish // What it is

How did polish posters come about?
Contemporary Polish posters arose after WW2 as a spirited attempt to rebuild the war-torn nation.
These posters are used as a form of communication because no televisions and only a few radios and 
newspapers were available. The Polish then instituted a state-supported agency to commission and 
publish these posters, which mostly announced cultural events, with only a few of them being political
and educational. Film posters is the first fertile ground in which Polish style flowered.

How did they come up with film posters? 
The artists capture the film's essence through visual metaphor as scenes from the films are rarely shown.
Cultural posters then became a significant outlet for individual artistic expression, as artists aim to
establish their own styles and identities.

What made polish posters unique?
Even when it's world view is developed fro western styles like Art Nouveau, Surrealism and Pop art,
Polish posters, which are considered as advertising art, it is something that was not seen in the Western 
Commerce, which made the 1950s - 1970s the golden age of Polish Posters. Another unique point about
these posters is the fact that these artists used painting, photography and hand-lettering in combinations
that were never known and often disapproved of. Their expression for design contributed to a creative
malaise in the late 70s. In the early 80s however, the need for exciting visual communications was 
reestablished.

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Polish // Significant figures

Roman Cieslewicz

1981

Liberte Wolnosc, a political poster
Roman Cieslewicz was a graphic artist and photographer. He was also the art director for "Vogue" and "Elle".

Andrzej Pagowski & Krystyna Hofmann

1982

Wojna Swiatow (The war of the Worlds) film poster




Franciszek Starowieyski

1983 
Oni (They), theatre poster

Breda, Poster

Franciszek Starwieyski was a leading stylist in Polish Art. His artworks were exquisitely ornamental and he uses unique metaphors in his works. Throughout his career, his style was deviated from the socialist realism that was prevalent during the start of this career and the popular, brightly coloured Cyrk posters.

Mieczysław Górowsk

Krzysztofa Dydo (Collection of Christopher Dydo) Poster

Mieczysław Górowsk started designing posters in 1966 and his oeuvre now numbers over 400 posters

Jan Lenica

1984 

Lebensbilder Zeitbilder, poster for Postermuseum in Germany

Jan Lenica artworks combines the surreal with the real. He employs dramatic color contrasts and a flowing linear technique to produce powerful, haunting images. 
Andrzej Czeczot

1985
Szewcy (shoemaker) poster for a play by Witkacy

Edward Dwurnik

Teatr Narodowy (National Theater), poster
 Leszek Drzewinski

Punkty za Pochodzenie (Point of Origin), Antiwar poster

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