Despite the limitations placed on artists under the Communist regime, graphic arts continued to flourish. It is this area that has greatly contributed to the advancement of Polish art. This book explores the work produced by an eclectic selection of artists from many generations, working in a variety of mediums including fine art printmaking, poster art, and drawing. This book exemplifies how the traditions of excellence established over the past century continue to flourish as a major part of one of the most exciting art scenes in Europe.

"In postwar Poland, film poster artists employed the universally recognized symbols of the Western - horse, six-shooter, boots, tin-star badge, Stetson, saddle - to convey violence as a negative force. Unlike many other art forms, the film poster did not fall within the censor's domain because it was not expected to pose a threat to the social order. But messages were conveyed through subtle means of symbol and color. The Polish poster has been likened to the Trojan horse, with the artist smuggling messages onto the streets in the guise of ephemera."--BOOK JACKET. "The posters displayed so strikingly in this book, and discussed in three essays, are from the golden age of Polish poster-making, the mid-1940s to the 1970s."--BOOK JACKET.

With almost 60 chapters, contributions from 30 authors and nearly 450 pages, VeryGraphic: Polish Designers of the 20th Century is the first comprehensive history of Polish graphic design. The book showcases its immense and diverse legacy, from the world-renowned Polish Poster school to the lesser-known achievements of artists in the field of applied graphic design, including books and covers, typography and lettering, logos and visual identification as well as packaging. Chronologically detailing the work of over 60 of the most prominent Polish designers, the volume offers a review of Polish graphic design unprecedented in its scope. The cover of each copy is hand-painted, rendering it a truly one-of-a-kind object.

Drawings are not simply tools for communication but important instruments for investigating reality and its structure. This pathbreaking book, richly illustrated, with exercises for readers, illuminates the complex interactions between the material