During the 1970s, artist and designer Andrzej Klimowksi began working for Polish theatre and film companies, and he went on to create some of the period’s most iconic poster designs. With an introduction written by academic David Crowley, the Klimowski Poster Book is a lasting celebration of one man’s life and works.
Influenced by folk art, Surrealism and the work of his mentor at the Warsaw Academy, Henryk Tomaszewski, the posters collected here include designs for films by Scorsese, Jim Jarmusch, Hitchcock and Tarkowsky, and plays by Brecht, Beckett and Shakespeare. He employs a variety of techniques, including photomontage and linocuts, to create works of timeless originality. Despite the political landscape of Poland at the time, only one of his posters fell foul of the censors. Among the titles covered are classic films such as Taxi Driver, The Omen and Chinatown. More recent examples of his work are also featured, including work for such organisations as the Cambridge Film Festival, the World Chess Tournament, Kinoteka and the Commission For Racial Equality.
Klimowski’s personal account of this period in his life is recounted in the graphic novel Behind the Curtain, co-written with his wife Danusia Schejbal, which is also published by SelfMadeHero. Klimowski is also the designer behind the SelfMadeHero logo.
About the artist
Andrzej Klimowski studied at the St Martin’s School of Art and the Warsaw Academy of Fine Arts. From 2006 to 2014, he was Professor of Illustration at the Royal College of Art. He has collaborated with his wife Danusia Schejbal on a number of SelfMadeHero titles including Behind The Curtain; The Master and Margarita, Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, and Robot. He is currently Emeritus Professor of Illustration at the Royal College of Art.
