The political system in Poland after World War II greatly influenced the development of Polish poster design.  Beginning in 1945, Poland was governed by a Soviet-supported Communist regime – the Polish People’s Republic. Under this Communist government, all media including the poster were given an exalted status although subject to almost complete censorship. Posters were commissioned by the state as a propaganda tool for social causes and cultural events. During this time, the Polish School of Posters moved poster design toward fine art. Polish posters became more original and fresher in design.

In the 1960s, Poland achieved relative political autonomy from the U.S.S.R., and culture increasingly became the center of public life. The state as both patron and controller of the arts gave

Matka Courage by Franciszek Starowieyski
Genre:Theatre & Opera
Year Printed: 1968 

recognition to posters as an art form. While the state’s patronage supported the poster, the state’s encouragement created its success. This encouragement took many forms including establishing education in poster design at Polish colleges of art and organizing national poster competitions throughout Poland. During this period, poster design became a well-recognized profession, attracting artists from various disciplines: print-making, photography, illustration, sculpture, and painting; all of which contributed to the art of the poster.

 

 

Tightrope by Jan Sawka
Cyrk Poster
Year Printed: 1979
Often hidden meanings were incorporated in poster designs.  Here Jan Sawka, idea was the audience (aka the Polish people) look longingly upwards towards freedom

 

The 1970s witnessed a lessening of direct state supervision of the media resulting in state-owned publishers exerting less and less influence over poster content. The political turmoil of the 1970s and 1980s further removed posters from governmental restraints. In this atmosphere of greater artistic freedom, poster design flourished; it became more dynamic, more expressive and more artistic. Posters also became more intellectual and challenging as artists smuggled their own ideas into works still supported by the state.

 

Clown face with Derby by Waldemar Swierzy
Cyrk Poster
Year Printed: 1972

This poster is unique as it bears the censors’ signature/s. ‘Censors’ signature’ indicates that a poster bears the censors’ hand-written signature or initials giving authorization to publish a particular image and the designated quantity. The Polish government (under Soviet-supported Communist regime) subjected all poster designs to censorship and government approval both at the design stage and then again, before printing, giving permission to print a specified number of a particular poster by signing and dating a sample printed poster.

In 1989 the introduction of a free market economy in Poland dramatically changed the role of the poster. Posters as advertisements began replacing posters as art – commercialism began replacing creativity. The trademark originality of Polish posters began to disappear. Their artistic level declined. Their future became cloudy and still remains uncertain. The fall of Communism brought with it the end of an era – the end of the golden age of the Polish School of Posters.

 

2 Bears on Ball by Andrzej Krzysztoforski
Cyrk Poster
Year Printed: 1979

This poster is a subsequent printing of a 1968 poster – all printings were by agencies of the Polish Communist government.

Hidden Meanings: CYRK posters also include some generic symbols: bears often represent the former Soviet Union (the Russian bear)

 

 

 

 

Boy, Magician & Skull by Stanislaw Miedza-Tomaszewski

Cyrk Poster
Year Printed: 1974

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Abstract Elephant in White by Jerzy Treutler

Cyrk Poster
Year Printed: 1975

 

 

See our previous Polish blog postings
The Art of Polish Posters – Polish School of Posters – Part 1 

Check back with this blog as we continue the story of the Polish School of Posters

Check out more Polish posters here!

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