The Warsaw International Poster Biennale is one of the most important and oldest graphic design competitions in the world. In 1966, on the initiative of Polish graphic artists associated with the Academy of Fine Arts: Eryk Lipiński, Prof. Józef Mroszczak and Prof. Henryk Tomaszewski, the 1st edition was held. The event, whose idea is to present the most outstanding posters made by artists from all over the world to a wide audience, quickly gained the recognition of world artists and critics. It is now the most important poster festival with an international reach.
Posters from all over the world are invited to participate in the event and have the opportunity to present their work from the last two years in the Main Competition, which is open to graphic designers, artists and students, as well as in the Thematic Competition, which focuses on a specific theme in a given edition. The submitted works are assessed by an international jury. Selected posters are presented in an exhibition at the International Poster Biennale in Warsaw. The best works of both competitions are awarded gold, silver and bronze medals by the jury. The Biennale is accompanied by numerous accompanying events. MBP has been organised at the Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw since 2018.
Return to the origin
On 6 June 1966, the 1st edition of the Warsaw International Poster Biennale was inaugurated at the Central Bureau of Art Exhibitions (today Zachęta – National Gallery of Art). In 1994, the event was moved to the Poster Museum at Wilanów, where it was organised until 2016. In 2018, by decision of the Minister of Culture and National Heritage, the preparation of subsequent editions was handed over to the Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw. In this way, the internationally recognised poster festival returned to its source – the place where the idea of confronting world achievements in poster design originated.
The Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw has played an important role in the development of poster art; it is no coincidence that most of the representatives of the so-called Polish poster school come from its milieu. The idea of reviewing the world poster in the form of a biennial was originated by Eryk Lipiński, who was associated with the Academy, while the promoter and long-term organiser of the event was Professor Józef Mroszczak. Prof. Henryk Tomaszewski is also strongly associated with the event. Since 1990, Prof. Lech Majewski, the current President of the MBP, has been involved in the organisation.
MBP’s laureates have included prominent artists such as: Andre Francois, Holger Matthies, Kazumasa Nagai, Andy Warhol, Yusaku Kamekura, Armando Testa, Shigeo Fukuda, GRAPUS, Gunter Rambow, Tadanori Yokoo, Makoto Saito, Rosemarie Tissi, Masuteru Aoba, Shin Matsunaga, Kijuro Yahagi, Mitsuo Katsui, Ralph Schraivogel, U. G. Sato, as well as Polish authors: Henryk Tomaszewski, Jan Lenica, Julian Pałka, Roman Cieślewicz, Mieczysław Wasilewski, Waldemar Świerzy, Jan Sawka, Jan Młodożeniec, Wiktor Sadowski.