Mieczysław Wasilewski (1942) is a Polish graphic designer, poster creator, and illustrator. He Studied at the Warsaw Academy of Fine Arts. Wasilewsk inherited his intellectual (as opposed to sensational) approach to the poster
from his mentor, Henryk Tomaszewski, constructing his works as ‘graphic and conceptual charades. He taught graphic design at the University of Damascus. He has a professorship at the Warsaw Academy of Fine Arts in the Department of Graphic Arts.
Between 1960 and 1966 he studied at the Department of Painting and Graphic Design of the Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw. Soon afterwards, he became an assistant to his supervisor, holding this position until 1985. After Prof. Tomaszewski retired, he took over the independent workshop of Graphic Design for the students of graphic techniques of the art academy. He also runs the workshop of graphic design and poster design at the European Academy of Arts in Warsaw.
He has received numerous awards, including a Golden Medal (1976) and Silver Medal (1994) at the International Poster Biennale in Warsaw. He also received a scholarship from the Kościuszko Foundation, and is a member of Alliance Graphique International (AGI). His works are in the collections of the Poster Museum at Wilanów, National Museum in Poznań, Musée de l'Affiche in Paris, Toyama Poster Museum in Tokyo, and many private galleries worldwide.
Wasilewski's art is a message expressed simply, without any superfluous ornamentation. It strives towards an extreme condensation and economy of expression, bringing to mind the essence of a literary saying or aphorism. The secret of his technique consists in rejecting bad things that come up on the way.
In 1994, Wasilewski received the first prize at the competition for the design of a poster commemorating the 50th anniversary of the outbreak of the Warsaw Uprising. The winning poster shows a torn Polish flag with the Kotwica – the World War II emblem of the Polish Underground State and the Home Army – painted on it set against a black background.
“ What I have always been fascinated with in those drawings is: the transformation of an object into something which is a nearly deobjectified pictogram; the scope of control and the lack of it – an uninhibited gesture, a surprise, and at the same time a thematic rigor. All of this is the area of my explorations”Wasilewski's drawing activity is as recognisable as his posters or book graphics. He uses mostly a paintbrush and ink, alla prima, i.e. rapidly, with a few, precisely drawn lines. To him, drawing is an act of improvisation, although one that is preceded by many different variations which the artist never reveals to public. His drawing series showing the faces of women, each of which is drawn concisely and calligraphically, and yet perfectly reflects the figures' features and moods. Wasilewski's portraits behave like signs, ideograms of faces which always retain a striking resemblance to the model. His marks are soft, lyrical, sometimes complemented by a wash, a stain, or a decollage and often also by a dose of warm sense of humour.
© 2019. All images are copyrighted © by Mieczysław Wasilewski. Apart from fair dealing for the purpose of private study, research, criticism or review as permitted under the Copyright Act, the use of any image from this site is prohibited unless prior written permission is obtained.
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| Mr Mieczysław Wasilewski |
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| 1970, Man and Contemporary World, Social Poster Competition - Winner |
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| 1971, Bloody Fairy - Tale, film poster |
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| 1971, Captain Angel Soldiers, film poster |
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| 1971, The Line, film poster |
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| 1974, Children Victims of Fires, Social Poster |
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| 1975, Habitat, social poster |
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| 1976, For the year, per day, for a moment, film poster |
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| 1976, Happiness is at hand, film poster |
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| 1977, Jaroslav the Wise, film poster |
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| 1978, Alcoholism & Prostitution, social poster |
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| 1978, An Unmarried Woman, film poster |
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| 1978, Progressive Journalist Against Apartheid, political poster |
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| 1978, Three Women, film poster |
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| 1979, La Femme flick, film poster |
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| 1979, Occupation in 26 pictures, film poster |
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1980, Polish Contemporary Poster, exhibition poster
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| 1983, The Brave Smith, film poster |
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| 1986, Cranes Come Back To The Nest, film poster |
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| 1987, Big Trouble in Little Chine, film poster |
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| 1987, Dirty Dancing, film poster |
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| 1987, The Untouchables, film poster |
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| 1988, Betrayal and Revenge, film poster |
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1988, Pożegnanie z Afryką, film poster
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| 1989, Twarzą w twarz, exhibition poster |
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| 1990, Wasilewski Poster, exhibition poster |
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| 1991, The Metamorphosis of the Polish Poster, exhibition poster |
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| 1992, 1943-1993 Warsaw Ghetto Uprising, political poster |
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| 1993, Contemporary Design in Finland, exhibition poster |
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| 1993, Wasilewski, Drawing and Poster, exhibition poster |
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| 1994, 100 Years of Cinema, film poster |
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| 1996, Bruno Schulz, exhibition poster |
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| 1996, International Theatre Festival – Kontakt 96, cultural poster |
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| 1997, OPPA ́97, song festival poster |
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| 1998, 3th International Conference of the Human Rights, political poster |
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| 1999, Chopin in Polish Music, exhibition poster |
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| 2000, 17th International Poster Biennale Warsaw, exhibition poster |
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| 2000, Colour in Graphic Art, exhibition poster |
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| 2000, Hi, Tereska, film poster |
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| 2002, 18th International Poster Biennale in Warsaw, exhibition poster |
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| 2004, Duty and Rebellion, exhibition poster |
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| 2004, Everything on paper, exhibition poster |
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| 2004, Varsovie a Osny, exhibition poster |
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| 2006, Masterpieces of Italian Drawing, exhibition poster |
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| 2007, Jerzy Wolff, exhibition poster |
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| 2007, Singer’s Warsaw, exhibition poster |
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| 2008, Summer Love film poster |
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| 2009, Satyrykon 2009, exhibition poster |
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| 2009, Where Is My Vote? Iran, political poster |
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| 2010, Drawing & Poster – M. Wasilewski, exhibition poster |
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| 2010, Festival of Wine, promotional poster |
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| 2010, Nulles Dies Sine Linea, exhibition poster |
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2011, 9th International Grzegorz Fitelberg Competition for Conductors,
promotional poster |
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| 2011, Eryk & Zuzanna, exhibition Poster |
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| 2011, Patient EGBDE, theatrical poster |
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2011, Pigasus Polish Poster Gallery, exhibition poster
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2011, The Mole, film poster
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| 2011, Wasilewski Posters in Relax Cafe, exhibition poster |
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| 2012, BMW, exhibition poster |
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| 2013, For Piotr from Mietek, exhibition Poster |
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