Time, space and place: The Polish Poster School

The Polish posters in The Osborne Robinson Collection form a very distinct group in the archive at The University of Northampton, United Kingdom. They were all created at a particular historic moment between 1945 and 1975. They were collected by the British theatrical set designer, Thomas Osborne Robinson and then given to his local Art School to inspire and influence students. The Polish artists created thought provoking posters to be pasted on the streets of their home cities. Their work continues to be admired and considered internationally significant. They are key to any study of art and design in Poland in the post-war decades, as they worked together in new ways. They were able to create an outlet for individual artistic expression in a period of state control of production. These poster artists belonged to an artistic community working with film-makers, theatre producers and architects. They provided a visual commentary to the physical and social rebuilding of the cultural capital of the Polish nation after World War II. Their work and methods were exported and have relevance and appeal beyond the hoardings of Warsaw. The posters continue to influence on graphic design as they are admired, collected and exhibited internationally.