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WARSAW
WIZZ MAGAZINE
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Posters photographed aroundWarsaw city (clockwise)
TheTideof theFeeling
byLechMajewski,
YamahaYudang
byLechMajewski,
Hunting inPoland
byWiktor Górka,
Rykoszet
byMieczysławWasilewski,
HorseCircus
byMaciej
Urbaniec,
Mr Tadeusz
byUnknown,
Raiders of the Lost Ark
byMiroslawLakomski,
Shakespeare’sKing John
byHen-
rykTomaszewski,
Picasso
by JanMlodozeniec (middle)
byWaldemarSwierzy, anartistwho still
livesandworks inWarsaw. “It’s socrea-
tiveanddramatic, don’t you think?”
Lookingback, it canbehard to fathom
how this finebalanceof creativityand
Communist rhetoric led towhathasbeen
called“freedomon the fences”.But these
simplepostershave sincehelped forma
spiritof creativityand independence that
penetrates theverybonesofWarsaw.The
Muscovite tower, forexample, still
dividesopinion.Thereare thosewho see
it asa relicof imperialism,whileothers
thinkof it asa symbol of thecity; it
housesacinema, shops, andhedonistic
clubnightsatBarStudio. Standat the
tower’sbasewhenheavybeatspoundout
from inside theclub, and itwill strikeasa
wonderful juxtaposition, anda reminder
that thingsused tobeverydifferent.
Although thedeathof thePolishposter
hasbeenpredicted, andprinted images
pastedonwallsare indecline–replaced
by screens showingTVadverts, large
flashingCokebottlesandH&Mbill-
boardsonMarszałkowskaStreet–nos-
talgia forPolishposters remains.
ThePolishPosterSchool remainsa
rulingpassionatMuzeumPlakatu in
Wilanów, anout-of-town royal park
that’shome to theWilanówPalace,
originallybuilt for John III Sobieski, the
Kingof Poland.
Whatmakes themuseum so impor-
tant for JacekSzelegejd, themuseum’s
custodian, isnot just that it’s theoldest
of itskind in theworld–havingbeen
opened in1968–but its size.The
museumhasnearly40,000Polish
posters in itscollection, aswell as some
25,000 fromabroad. “I secretlybelieve
the real strengthof themuseum is still
unknown tovisitors,”he says, pondering
thegallery’s future. “Themajorityof
ourcollection ispracticallyunknown. It
would takeyears toproperlycatalogue
ourworks, and to show themwould lead
toanendless seriesof exhibitions.”
Suchdisplayswill beput onhold
becauseof the forthcomingBiennale.
Theeventwill explore thepast and
present of postersandwill shinenew
light on themedium’s future. “There
hasbeena lot of talkof thedeathof the
poster,”concludesSzelegejd. “But this is
not, however, thedeathof theposter. It
is simply its remediation.”
The 25th International Poster Biennale
takes place 11 June—25September
2016. Visit
biennale.postermuseum.pl
formore information.
POSTERS IN
CONTEXT
Where to stay:
Hotel Rialto,
pin-upart hotel
Warsawwas once in love
withArt Deco. Hotel Rialto,
Warsaw’s first boutique
hotel, reimagines this era
and is a near-perfect rec-
reationof themovement,
showcasingPoland’s pre-
war panache to themax.
Details include stained-
glasswindows, aplush
velvet seat in the lift, and a
gym andwellness areadec-
oratedwith sports-themed
posters.
rialto.pl
Where toeat:
Inn
Under TheRedHog
With amenu split into
dishes for thebourgeoisie
and theworking class (truf-
fle soup versusworkers’
borscht served in amug),
thismuseum-cum-restau-
rant is tied toWarsaw’s
history.Walls areplastered
withprints, themaindining
room is framedby
The Last
Communist Supper
, and an
imposing fresco features a
‘who’swho’ galleryof Red
Army rogues. Upstairs is a
collectionof vintageprop-
agandaprints includingone
that sums up the nation’s
mood – a royal staghunting
a khaki-green soldier.
czerwonywieprz.pl
Fly toWarsawwithWizz
Air. Book at
wizzair.com
or
download theWizzAir app.
