Artist: Szymon Szymankiewicz
Editor: Zdzisław Schubert
Published: 2023
ISBN: 978-83-7576-758-2
Binding: Harcover
Format: 150 × 200 mm (6 x 7.88 in)
Language: Polish and English
Number of pages: 64
Number of Pictures: 59
About the artist:
The mini-album from the miniature series “Posters” is dedicated to the creations of Szymon Szymankiewicz, a graphic designer representing the young vanguard. His posters are noted for their minimalist aesthetic, restrained color palette, and the absence of text and widely recognized symbols. Yet, they confront weighty issues such as racism, fascism, anti-Semitism, and homophobia. Szymankiewicz has been honored with prestigious accolades, including the Gold Medal at the 26th Polish Poster Biennial in Katowice in 2019, and first place at the 8th International Socio-Political Poster Biennial in 2021. His work has been showcased extensively both in Poland and internationally, in cities like Glasgow, Hong Kong, Lahti, Lima, Madrid, Moscow, and Prague. The introduction and curation of the posters for this mini-album were meticulously undertaken by Zdzisław Schubert, an authority in the field.
O artyście:
Minialbum w miniaturowej serii Plakaty poświęcony jest twórczości grafika młodego pokolenia, Szymona Szymankiewicza. Jego plakaty wyróżniają się minimalizmem, oszczędną kolorystyką, brakiem słów i powszechnie znaną symboliką – poruszają jednak poważne tematy: rasizm, faszyzm, antysemityzm i homofobię. Szymankiewicz jest laureatem prestiżowych nagród (Złoty Medal na 26. Biennale Plakatu Polskiego w Katowicach, 2019; pierwsze miejsce na 8. Międzynarodowym Biennale Plakatu Społeczno-Politycznego, 2021), jego prace były też wielokrotnie wystawiane w kraju i za granicą (Glasgow, Hong Kong, Lahti, Lima, Madryt, Moskwa, Praga). Wstęp i wybór plakatów do minialbumu przygotował znawca tematu, Zdzisław Schubert.
About the Polish School of Posters:
The Polish School of Posters, renowned worldwide, is esteemed as a pinnacle in contemporary poster art, drawing parallels to the La Belle Époque French posters of the 1890s. This school of design marries the aesthetic qualities of painting with the concise and metaphorical nature of poster art. Emerging in the early 1950s, it has cultivated distinctive features such as painterly gestures, a strong sense of line, and the use of vibrant colors. These elements, combined with a flair for individual personality, humor, and fantasy, have blurred the lines between designer and artist.
The influence of the Polish Poster School on the global evolution of graphic design in poster art is significant. Its primary contribution lies in its strategic use of suggestion and clever allusions. Drawing from the rich palette of folk art, the posters integrate bold and vivid colors with printed slogans—often rendered by hand—and familiar symbols to forge a succinct and creative metaphor. These posters, as a fusion of text and imagery, generate a unique aesthetic tension.
Beyond their visual appeal, posters from the Polish School also convey the artist’s emotional engagement with the subject. They transcend mere objective representation; they embody the artist’s personal interpretation and commentary on both the subject matter and societal issues.