Thursday 25 June 2009

Sweet indolence


My latest commission for Przekrój, #25 2009. I was asked to illustrate a text about procrastination. It took me all night and the next day I went straight to work, tired as hell.


Additional illo for the second spread.


And another one. Inspired by Fritz Lang's Metropolis.


Friday 5 June 2009

Get ready for some urban action


This is a completely new urban magazine about Warsaw. It was made on behalf of Centrum Development & Investments Polska (CDI), a real estate developer specializing in shopping malls all over the country. The reason for making this magazine is their latest investment – the legendary Centralny Dom Towarowy on Krucza street. This modernist shopping mall, commonly known as Cedet, was designed by Zbigniew Ihnatowicz and Jerzy Romański and built 1949-1952. CDI are about to give the building back its original facade, destroyed in a fire back in the '70s. They will also ad a new extension, thus closing the historical Bracka street and making this place the hottest shopping spot in the city. So much about the building. When I designed the magazine I wanted it to reflect the minimalist and modernist look of the building. I chose to use only one colour in the entire magazine. There are only four typefaces used: Hooge designed by Craig Kroeger (headlines), Museo by Jos Buivenga/exljbris (leads), JB Cursive by Jean Boyault (sections) and DIN by Albert-Jan Pool (copy). The retro looking logo is actually the new logo of the shopping mall. It was recently designed by artist Wojciech Fangor. I didn't want to use mainstream photos in the mag so I did a lot of research on blogs and on Flick'r. The black and white picture of Jerozolimskie Avenue on the cover was shot by Phil Moore. You can see the Cedet on the far right. The magazine will be distributed for free in shops and cafés in the city centre. It will also be on sale in larger newspaper stores.


Table of contents (in this case map of contents) based on an old city map from the '70s. Most of the sections here tell about reel places in Warsaw and are thus to be found on the map.


Feature article by star writer and crème de la crème gossip columnist Agata Passent.



Warsaws hottest bar district is located in Plac Trzech Krzyży. The first text is about the bar Szpilka. I made the panoramic shot of the square in the 2nd spread. The black page is a brilliant feature by Tomasz Piątek – writer and bon vivant – summing up the night life at Plac Trzech Krzyży.


Starbuck's has arrived in Warsaw. Good in some people's opinion, not so good in the opinion of others.


This text covers Sorry, Ghettoblaster – a monthly club night. It's run by dj's Sekta and Kosakot. Photos by Karol Grygoruk.



Interview with Tomasz P. Chenczke (CEO of CDI) about the Cedet building and its surroundings. Illustrated with visualizations of the building.



The fashion section covering the new Ermenegildo Zegna shop at Plac Trzech Krzyży. The fashion shoot is a mix of catwalk shots and futuristic backgrounds.


More fashion. This time about Olga Bittner – winner of last years edition of Warsaw Fashion Street.


'80s street fashion. A comparison of yesterday and today. Photo on the left by late fashion photographer Janusz Sobolewski. On the right by Karolina Kosowicz.




Interesting dispute between Tadeusz Rolke and Grzegorz Lewandowski about Warsaw's intelligentsia yesterday and today. Rolke (born 1929) is one of Poland's best known documentary photographers, famous for capturing the atmosphere of Warsaw in the '50s and '60s. Lewandowski represents todays varsovians. He runs Chłodna 25, a café and artistic melting pot. I shot the backgrounds.


A history lesson about the famous Bracka street.



Interview with architect studio Grupa 5 and their vision of a futuristic, and possibly better Warsaw. On the first spread is their proposal of the new Museum of Modern Art in Warsaw.


Interview with Bogna Świątkowska – promoter of urban culture and founder of Bęc zmiana. The text is illustrated with pictures of some of Bęc zmiana's artistic events in Warsaw's urban landscape. I made the portrait of Bogna.


Text about the upcoming Sztuka Ulicy street art festival...


...and Warsaw Summer Jazz Days.


A sum up of singer Morrisey's career who will play in Warsaw on 7 July. Illustration by cartoonist and singer Krzysztof Ostrowski.


Alina Szapocznikow (1926-1973) is a Polish-Jewish sculptor who lived in France. The Warsaw Museum of Modern Art is currently presenting an exhibition of her amazing work. I found the black and white contact print among the archival materials I received from the museum.


A comic called Love terrorist set in Warsaw. I wrote the script and my friend Krzysztof Gawronkiewicz illustrated.


The last page of the magazine will present interesting photo blogs about Warsaw. First up is Ludwik Lis and his black and white snapshots of a less known capital.

The next issue of Cedet will be out this autumn.

Tuesday 2 June 2009

Bike boy


Last month my son learned to ride a bike without training wheels. And on the same day he learned to whistle.