Mieczysław Wasilewski. Present/Vintage

The exhibition "Mieczysław Wasilewski. Present/Vintage" is not only a presentation of the body of work of one of Poland’s greatest graphic artists, but also a reflection on the evolution of poster language and style across decades. By showcasing two distant moments in Wasilewski’s creative career – classic film posters from the 1970s and 1980s alongside his recent works – we aim to grasp what has changed in his style and what has remained strikingly relevant.

The early film posters, drawn from the collection of the Academy of Fine Arts Museum in Warsaw, are deeply rooted in the institutional and ideological context of the Polish People's Republic. They employ visual shortcuts, metaphors, and often a self-referential play with form. Visually denser than his later works – colorful, expressive, and at times allusive – they already reveal traits that would come to define his distinctive idiom: graphic reduction, tension between symbol and meaning, and a drive for universal clarity.

Wasilewski’s later works are dominated by formal restraint, a black-and-white palette, and brushstrokes instead of lettering – all immersed in an aesthetic inspired by East Asian calligraphy and philosophy. These more recent posters are intimate, contemplative, and even more abstract – nearly ascetic. It’s a visual language that abandons illustration in favor of the symbol – the gesture.

By juxtaposing these two creative periods – vintage and present – we see not only formal transformation but, above all, a continuity of thought. The universality of Wasilewski’s style lies in the fact that his graphic solutions – though rooted in the 1970s and 1980s – resonate with surprising contemporary relevance. This is especially evident today, as many young designers turn to similar means of expression: minimalism, symbolism, space, and silence.

"Wasilewski. Present/Vintage" is therefore not just a retrospective, but a voice in the discussion on the timelessness of good graphic design – on the tension between past and present, and on how form can endure when it is rooted in thinking, not in trends.

Curator: Dr. Katarzyna Urbańska

MIECZYSŁAW WASILEWSKI. PRESENT/VINTAGE
A retrospective exhibition presented as part of the 29th International Poster Biennale in Warsaw
Recipient of the Józef Mroszczak Award

Curator:
Dr. Katarzyna Urbańska

Opening:
July 5, 2025, at 7:00 PM
As part of the official opening of the Biennale – including the announcement of the Main Competition and the Thematic Competition “Quo Vadis”

Venue:
Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw
Czapski Palace
5 Krakowskie Przedmieście St.

Exhibition dates:
July 5 – October 5, 2025