Graphic art from Poland to be displayed at Mumbai museum

Maps, authored by Aleksandra Mizielinska and Daniel Mizielinski of Hipopotam studio, commissioned by Dwie Siostry Publishers, 2012

Starting today, till the end of July, if you happen to drop by the Dr Bhau Daji Lad Mumbai City Museum, you will spot a wide array of vibrant posters, books, exhibition catalogues, CDs and vinyl record covers. While you may not understand the text, the cool, witty and kitschy illustrations and drawings - for instance, a book on locomotives or a poster depicting post-war buildings of Warsaw - are bound to grab your attention. These artworks are part of the exhibition, Eye On Poland: New Graphic Design from Poland hosted by the museum in collaboration with The Polish Institute, New Delhi and Culture.pl. Curated by Polish graphic designers Magdalena Frankowska and Artur Frankowski, the exhibition features works of over 30 designers, artists and design studios - selected from several hundred books and posters designed by Polish artists in the last four years - commissioned by clients from art and culture fields as theatre, museums, foundations, art galleries and organisers of film or music festivals.

Works from the Eye On Poland exhibition

Why Poland?
Over the last 15 years, Polish graphic design has been gaining traction in Europe and around the world, not only because of the traditional associations with Polish poster art defined as Polish Poster School (mid 1950s to late '60s) but also the achievements of the younger generation of designers. "Poland joining the European Union prompted the creation of new independent cultural institutions and development of those that already existed. Working for cultural organisations, where the bar of expectations is raised high, gives designers the freedom to experiment and look for inventive means of expression. The exhibition is an outcome of such collaborations," says Frankowska.

Maps, authored by Aleksandra Mizielinska and Daniel Mizielinski of Hipopotam studio, commissioned by Dwie Siostry Publishers, 2012

Meanwhile, Frankowski adds, "Contemporary Polish graphic design is colourful, swift, witty and smart and it is different from the French, Swiss or Dutch. Our tradition in Polish Poster School, native language, cultural identity and original imagination has an impact on Polish contemporary graphic language. Also, the designers are not only the professional creators of posters/books but sometimes also, illustrators, visual artists or photographers. The new Polish graphic design features various techniques like vector graphics, photography, collage, painting, freehand drawing or even a combination of all these methods."