Artist: Marcin Władyka
Editor: Dorota Folga-Januszewska
Published: 2020
ISBN: 978-83-7576-492-5
Binding: Harcover
Format: 150 × 200 mm (6 x 7.88 in)
Language: Polish and English
Number of pages: 64
Number of Pictures: 60
About the artist:
This bilingual edition, presented in both Polish and English, is part of the Polish School of Posters. series from Bosz Publishing, which celebrates the Polish School of Posters. It showcases the works of Marcin Władyka, an artist born in 1975. Władyka is associated with the Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw and has collaborated with numerous festivals, film reviews, and cultural institutions to create posters, drawings, and book designs. Professor Dorota Folga-Januszewska describes Władyka’s posters as “deathly funny, dramatically comical,” often portraying the subject matter in a distorted mirror. They elicit a smile while simultaneously provoking thought. The album features almost 60 meticulously selected works, representing the best of the artist’s portfolio.
O artyście:
Marcin Władyka (ur. 1975) jest związany z Akademią Sztuk Pięknych w Warszawie, ponadto współpracuje wieloma festiwalami, przeglądami filmów i instytucjami kultury, tworząc na ich potrzeby plakaty, rysunki czy projekty książek. Profesor Dorota Folga-Januszewska uważa plakaty Władyki za „śmiertelnie zabawne, dramatycznie komiczne”, często przedstawiające poruszaną kwestię w krzywym zwierciadle. Mimo iż pozwalają one na uśmiech, jednocześnie skłaniają do refleksji. W albumie zebranych zostało blisko 60 starannie wyselekcjonowanych, najlepszych prac artysty.
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.