Poles Apart, New Comics & Graphic Novels
The Łódź International Festival of Comics & Games curates a thorough review of Poland’s contemporary cartoon talent, presenting works by 12 most important artists of the last two decades. Hosting the exhibition is the Windows Gallery at Central Saint Martins College of Arts and Design, with the support of the Arts Council England. The full list of artists who present their works includes Agata Wawryniuk, Przemysław Truściński, Krzysztof Gawronkiewicz, Berenika Kolomycka, Tomasz Leśniak, Krzysztof Ostrowski, Michał Śledziński, Jacek Frąś, Tomasz Tomaszewski, Marcin Podolec, Bartosz and Tomasz Minkiewicz.
The presented works are also printed in an accompanying catalogue. Apart from showing the works, 3 artists travel to London to animate the event in person: Berenika Kolomycka, Przemysław Truściński and Agata Wawryniuk. Representing the middle and the youngest generation of Polish comics artists, all the three artists have great merits in the field and boast an array of both Polish and international publications. They participate in the opening night and also conduct comics workshops. A Polish comics researcher and theoretician, Dr Wojciech Birek also conducts a special digital presentation on Polish comics art.
The meeting with Agata Wawryniuk, who authored the Polish-English Phrasebook can be of special interest to the British audience, as her album conveys the everyday life of Poles living and working in the UK.
Poles ApART: New Polish Comics & Graphic Novels presents various skills of Polish artists, the different techniques, styles and themes they focus on. It aims at presenting different approaches to page composition and framing.
Comica is a not-for-profit Social Enterprise and produces a year round programme of events, including - Comica: London International Comics Festival, Comiket comic and small press fairs, national graphic novel competitions, talks, exhibitions, workshops, conferences, panel discussions, film screenings and the monthly networking event Comica Social Club.
Editor: Paulina Schlosser, source: press release, comicafestival.com, 4.11.2013