ARTISTIC LEGITIMATION OF THE POSTER IN THE POLISH PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC 1944-1968 KATARZYNA MATUL

Is a poster just a form of advertising, or a full-fledged work of art? This book takes us on a fascinating journey through the world of the Polish poster during the Polish People's Republic, analyzing its role, significance, and the process of legitimation in the political and cultural context of that time. It is a story of how poster art gained recognition and prestige in communist Poland, becoming an important element of the social and artistic landscape.

• Historical analysis: Detailed study of the poster's legitimation process in the Polish People's Republic.
• Political and cultural context: Understanding the influence of ideology on poster art.
• Critical perspective: A new look at the phenomenon of the Polish poster school.
• Archival research: Use of previously unpublished materials.
• Contribution to art history: A model for poster research in Poland and abroad.
• Authored by Katarzyna Matul: Work of a recognized art historian and curator.

Katarzyna Matul, an art historian and curator, takes us on a journey through the world of the Polish poster during the Polish People's Republic. She analyzes how the poster, being a graphic form associated with modern art, gained an artistic position in communist Poland, where art was subject to censorship and the party's propaganda guidelines. The author examines the connections between art and politics, shedding new light on the phenomenon of the Polish poster school.

The book is the result of research in public and private archives and the first scientific analysis of the Polish poster from the perspective of art criticism, exhibitionism, and art education in the political context of the Polish People's Republic. Matul's work allows for the creation of a model for poster research not only in Poland, but also abroad.

Many artists are associated with the Polish poster school, such as Tadeusz Trepkowski, Henryk Tomaszewski, Józef Mroszczak, Jan Lenica, Wojciech Fangor, Wojciech Zamecznik, and Roman Cieślewicz. Their works, presented at numerous exhibitions in Poland and abroad, contributed to the ennoblement of the poster as a work of art. The organization of the International Poster Biennale in Warsaw in 1966 and the establishment of the Poster Museum in Wilanów two years later were the culmination of this process.

Katarzyna Matul studies art and graphic design after 1945 from the perspective of art history, social and cultural history, and the sociology of art. She is the author of books on the Polish poster of Socialist Realism and on the creation of the International Poster Biennale in Warsaw. Her doctoral thesis, defended at the University of Lausanne, forms the basis for this publication.

This book is a must-read for anyone interested in art history, graphic design, and the culture of the Polish People's Republic. It is a valuable source of knowledge about the Polish poster and its role in society. It helps to understand how art can function in a political context and how it can gain recognition and prestige, even in difficult conditions.

Universitas Publishing presents a publication that will surely interest both specialists and art lovers. It is a book that provokes reflection on the role of art in society and on the process of its legitimation. It is also a story about the Polish poster school, which has permanently entered the history of world design.

The book has 316 pages, a format of 152x240 mm and a paperback cover. It was published in 2025 by Universitas Publishing. It is a title that should be in every library of an art and history lover.