Original contemporary/vintage polish posters (1950s-1990s) - the antique & vintage art posters of tomorrow...the art investment for the future; from the world-famous Polish School of Posters, recognized as the best in contemporary poster art comparable to France's La Belle Epoque of the 1890s.
Photos at other exhibits

The exhibit of posters from the golden age of the Polish School of Posters at the XXI International Chopin & Friends Festival gala concert was a wonderful addition to an incredible evening. The large eclectic crowd of music aficionados and art lovers, at the Consulate General of the Republic of Poland in New York, on November 8th, loudly applauded the violin & piano performances and enthusiastically commented on the beauty & genius of the posters.

The Jazz Great posters by Waldemar Swierzy, placed strategically among the historical photos, attracted much attention from the gallery patrons.

Polish School of Posters C.1945 - 1989

The second annual exhibit took over the entire gallery and included Jazz, Opera & Theater posters in addition to CYRK..

CYRK posters

Over 40 CYRK posters from the Polish School of Posters exhibited at one of the newest galleries in Beacon, NY (1 hr north of New York City)

When DIA moved its headquarters from New York City to Beacon in 2003, Beacon went from a declining factory town to an upcoming art center. In keeping with its new cultural image, the '2nd Saturday' of each month has become an artistic event with Beacon's many galleries hosting receptions for patrons viewing their current offerings.
		Dia: Beacon, Riggio Galleries		'2nd Saturday' - Beacon NY crowd viewing the art

CYRK posters

"The art of poster design achieved new heights in Poland after World War II, culminating in the Polish Poster School, a post World War II movement of highly individual artists, whose unique styles came together in an aesthetic of bold graphic designs, vibrant colors and sometimes tongue-in–cheek subject matter. Designing for the “cyrk” was an opportunity for these artists to use their graphic styles to bring a fresh perspective to such traditional icons of the circus. Examining how the graphic styles of the Polish artists came together to advertise the state backed circus, this exhibition includes twenty-one of the Cyrk posters, designed between 1965 and 1977. The exhibition is on display in the Circus Museum’s Tibbals Learning Center." www.ringling.org

CYRK, jazz, film, theater, Jewish, opera, exhibit, etc. posters

Jewish Posters

The exhibit ‘Jewish/Polish posters - Communist era to present’ at the Westchester Jewish Center was our first major Jewish/Polish poster exhibit at a synagogue. When Ylain & Donald Mayer of Contemporary Posters conducted a gallery tour, many in the audience expressed amazement that Jewish themed films, theater, operas & exhibits existed in Poland during the Communist era and that posters were printed of the events. Leaving the exhibit, several attendees expressed that they now had a more ‘open mind’ toward Jewish/Polish relations as they pondered the concept that 'Jewish culture is part of Polish culture and has been for 1,000 years'. Terry Trieger, the curator, and her staff at the WJC are to be congratulated on hosting the exhibit and curating such a beautiful and exciting show.

Film Posters

"JAZZ SCORE celebrates some of the best original jazz composed for the cinema from the 1950's to the present." Lech Majewski's film poster 'And All that Jazz', 1982, greets people as they enter the exhibit.
Seven 1950's-80's Polish film posters also line the wall on the opposite side of the entranceway. Waldemar Sqierzy's poster for 'Blow-Up', 1987, is displayed along with some other nationality posters.. Polish posters, however, are certainly the major poster attraction at this very important exhibit.

Jewish, Jazz, CYRK, Film, Exhibit, Theater

Jakub Zaboroswki, Cultural Consul, Consulate General of The Republic of Poland LA with Leonard Konopelski, Polish-American artist of the Polish Poster Festival poster 2007 + '08.	M/M Zaborowski with Ylain G. Mayer of Contemporary Posters

A very proud & happy Janet and Lillian Zimberg with Donna, Doug & Ben of Weidman Gallery. It was a very, very succesfull reception. Polish hors d'oeuvres by Warszawa Restaurant, Santa Monica & an evening of Polish vodka.

Theater posters

The theater's temporarty quarters is a store on a main shopping street. The theater calls upon local talent for its performers. Besides Shakespeare, it presents theatrical classics to a loyal following. During the summer months it performs outdoors in parks to hundreds of people.			Vic Warren is marketing director & curator	Nicely framed (with lots of California sunlight )

Jewish Heritage Foundation NC
1933 Cornwallis Rd.
Durham, N.C
May 24 - Aug. 24 2007 Judea Reform Congregation

A small, but nicely displayed and well attended exhibit (would you believe 500 people at the opening!).

Lyric Opera San Diego
at the Birch North Park theater
2891 University Ave.
San Diego, CA
Nov. 29 - Feb. 22, 2008

Opera, Jazz poster exhibit during
SAN DIEGO POSTER EXHIBIT

The company presents operas, operettas, musical theater productions & special events. In the beautifully restored theater in the historic North Park section of San Diego. Their mission is to develop young professional artists who go on to major companies elsewhere.

Ylain Mayer, Contemporary Posters with Stace Shelby Lyric Park's curator	Examples of other posters of The Polish School of Posters in the upper lobby. (Opera & Jazz posters are exhibited in the main lobby.)

Parkers' Posters
Parkers' Posters
4010 Morena Blvd
San Diego, CA
Nov. 29 - Feb. 22, 2008

CYRK, Film poster exhibit during
SAN DIEGO POSTER EXHIBIT

Parkers' Posters is San Diego's only original vintage poster gallery. They handle a complete assortment of antique & contemporary original posters. Here George & Arelene Parker show off their beautiful newly opened gallery to Ylain Mayer, Contemporary Posters.

San Diego Center for Jewish Culture
Gotthelf Art Gallery
4126 Executive Drive
Ja Jolla, CA
Nov. 29 - Feb. 22, 2008

Jewish cultural poster exhibit during
SAN DIEGO POSTER EXHIBIT

The 'Lapin girls' contemplating their BIG purchase.

A unique but very successful way to 'hang' posters

Exhibit, Books, Festivals	other posters of The Polish School of Posters
Ylain Mayer, Contemporary Posters, explaining the posters to a record 'opening night' audience		Leonard Konopelski, Polish American artist, shown with the San Diego Center for Jewish Culture poster he created for the exhibit. Leonard also sent greetings from the Consulate General of The Republic of Poland Los Angeles.	Eve Childs, curator, SDCJC

Polish Film Festival Los Angeles
Sunset 5 Theatre
Sunset Blvd
West Hollywood, CA
Apr. 21 - Apr. 26, 2007

Film poster exhibit during
POLISH POSTER FESTIVAL LA 2007

The films of the 8th Annual Polish Film Festival Los Angeles are held at Laemmle's Sunset 5 Theatre, Sunset Blvd, West Hollywood, CA. The Festival promoted our Polish Poster Festival LA 2007 by displaying our Festival poster & 4 important Polish & American films - 'Austeria'; 'Europa, Europa'; 'Man of Iron' & 'Kabaret'.

The Opening Night Gala/Reception was held at the Directors Guild of America, Sunset Blvd., LA. It was a true Hollywood reception. Sari J.M. Lapin & Donald & Ylain Mayer of Contemporary Posters, NYC, attended.

The Polish Poster Festival LA 2007 poster was prominently displayed along with the Polish Film Festival poster & Polish film posters at the entranceway. Leonard Konopelski, the Polish-American poster artist, and designer of the Poster Festival poster is seen here with the Mayers.		The Festival was under the auspices of the First Lady of Poland, Maria Kaczynska, seen here with Paulina Kapuscinska (L), Culture Consul, and Krystyna Tokarska-Biernacik (R), Consul General, of the Consulate General of the Republic of Poland LA. Hon Kaczynska was very familiar with the Polish Poster Festival LA and discussed it's importance with the Mayers.

University of Judaism
15600 Mulholland Dr.
Bel Air, CA
Feb. 25 - May 27, 2007

Jewish cultural poster exhibit during
POLISH POSTER FESTIVAL LA 2007

The University of Judaism for over 50 years embraces the diversity of American Jewish life. It was founded y Dr. Mordecai Kaplan and is at its present location since 1979. Besides being an educational institution it includes cultural & religious Jewish life.
The Platt Art Gallery hosted the largest contemporary Jewish/Polish cultural poster exhibit on the West Coast. The exhibit helped to illustrate that Jewish culture is part of Polish culture and has been for more than 800 years even though there are only few Jews in Poland after the war.
More than 50 Jewish/Polish posters demonstrated the breadth & beauty of Jewish theme posters - exhibits & festivals, film, opera & musicals, theater, the E.R. Kaminski National Jewish Theater, Sholom Aleichem plays, Jewish Polish authors, etc. (Note: Shelley Lavender, Dept. of Fine & Performing Arts, UJ, with Ylain G. Mayer, Contemporary Posters.)
The Borstein Art Gallery featured a sample of posters from other genre of the Polish School of Posters (posters created from the 1950s to the present) - CYRK, dance, exhibit, film, jazz, opera, political & theater.

The Jazz Bakery
Helms Bakery Complex
3233 Helms Ave.
Los Angeles (Culver City), CA
Feb. 24 - April 27, 2007

Jazz poster exhibit during
POLISH POSTER FESTIVAL LA 2007

In the historic Helms Bakery building in trendy Culver City, with its hot spots and art galleries as well as HD Buttercup, the home of 50+ home furnishing manufacturers.		Jazz Bakery hosts 2 shows nightly, 7 nights a week, all year long. The place for Jazz in LA.
A rotating display of Jazz posters including artist Waldemar Swierzy's well known 'Jazz Greats' - Basie, Charles, Davis. Ellington & Oliver. Also, Polish Jazz Festivals - Jazz Jamboree, Jazz on Odra River & International Jazz Pianist Festival.
The POLISH POSTER FESTIVAL LA 2007 poster	A reminder of past times when Helms bread was known as the 'Choice of Olympic Champions'

Track 16 Gallery
Bergamot Station
2525 Michigan Ave.
Bldg. C1
Santa Monica, CA
Feb. 17 - Mar 10, 2007

CYRK poster exhibit during
POLISH POSTER FESTIVAL LA 2007

	Bergamot Station, Santa Monica, a huge, historic, transformed R.R. yard housing a lively arts complex of art galleries. It includes the Santa Monica Museum of Art. And, it's the home of Track 16, a leading art gallery. (Note: The orange tree in February. It's California!)
It's 16' high ceilings are an ideal venue for 78 CYRK posters. A curator's dream! Its black walls show off the colorful CYRK posters at their finest.
The gallery's 5 or 6 rooms make viewing interesting & exciting.
Signage makes the exhibit more informative and the viewer more knowledgeable and thereby more interested in the exhibit. All posters were displayed by artist. Artist information and 'hidden meanings' in some of the posters made the posters come to life. Well done!

JCC SF
San Francisco, CA
Jan. - Feb. 2007

Contemporary Polish Posters

Jazz at Lincoln Center
Broadway at 60th St.
New York, NY 10023
Oct. 30 - Nov. 27 (extended Dec. 17), 2006

Jazz posters

Rose Theater, The Allen Room, Dizzy's Club Coca-Cola make up Jazz at Lincoln Center, Broadway at 60th St., the recently built, premier jazz spot in NYC and possibly the world. Jazz posters of the Polish School of Posters was the first poster exhibit at Jazz at Lincoln Center. It was so successfully received that it was extended 2 times only to be replaced by the ever famous 'Santa Claus Coca-Cola ad campaign' 100th Anniversary exhibit.

The exhibit was well merchandised: 3 'Jazz at Lincoln Center' posters were prominently displayed throughout the public areas. The 'Polish School of Posters Story' on an easel near the exhibit told the story of Polish posters and the history of jazz posters from the time it was outlawed in the 1940s, went underground in the '50s and grew from the '60s when it surfaced aboveground to the present. Young people especially loved American Jazz. Jazz in Poland is very popular. The 'Jazz Greats' series of prominent jazz artists by Waldemar Swierzy is very much admired. Poland has several very successful festivals including Jazz on Odra and Jazz Jamboree. The sinage under & alongside the posters told a story about the artist & the poster. Once a poster was sold it was replaced by another to give the exhibit a fresh feel. Several drawings of the 'Jazz at Lincoln Center' poster was an exhibit highlight. (Thank you Jazz at Lincoln Center)

The exhibit was during holiday time. The view from The Allen Room looking at Columbus Circle, down Central Park South to the East Side was spectacular, especially at night.

JCC in Manhattan
334 Amsterdam Ave at 76th St
New York, NY 10023
Nov 16, 2006 - Jan 17, 2007

Jewish cultural poster exhibit

	The exhibit helped to illustrate that Jewish culture is part of Polish culture and has been for more than 800 years even though there are only few Jews in Poland after the war.
The JCC in Manhattan, Amsterdam Ave. @ 76th St., NYC	Exhibits; Festivals & Books; Film; Opera & Musicals	Exhibits; Festivals & Books; Film	Tomasz Wielgomas (Consul, Polish Consulate), Donald & Ylain Mayer (Contemporary Posters), Karen Sander (Sr. Director of Arts & Culture, JCC), Krzysztof W. Kasprzyk (Consul General, Polish Consulate)
Krzysztof W. Kasprzyk	Film; Operas & Musicals	Theater; E.R. Kaminski National Jewish Theater	Theater
E.R. Kaminski National Jewish Theater	E.R. Kaminski National Jewish Theater - Andrzej Pagowski & Marian Stachurski posters	Sholom Aleichem plays; Polish Jewish authors	JCC in Manhattan poster
Polish School of Posters - Exhibit; Political; Jazz; Jewish; Film; CYRK; Theater; Ballet	Jazz: Opera; Festivals	CYRK	2 young Polish poster enthusiasts & father

The Jazz Gallery
290 Hudson St. (below Spring St.)
212-242-1063
September 26, 2004 - May 25, 2005
Grand opening, Sunday, Sept. 26, 6-8 PM

New York's 1st major Polish Jazz poster exhibit will be held at The Jazz Gallery, recognized as the most imaginatively booked jazz club in NYC & a unique exhibition space.

More than 40 jazz art posters - including works by Rafal Olbinski, Jan Sawka, and highlighting Waldemar Swierzy's 'Great Artist' series--including full face images of Miles Davis, Ray Charles, Duke Ellington, Charles Mingus, and Thelonius Monk--will be displayed.

The Jazz Gallery has performances on Thurs.-Fri.-Sat. evenings--2 sets at all shows 9:00 & 10:30. See www.jazzgallery.org

The jazz poster art exhibit opening Sunday, Sept. 26, was followed by a live solo piano concert be esteemed Polish pianist Leszek Mozdzer directly from his performance at Carnegie Hall on Sept 25 billed as '2 piano heavyweights in a match to remember' Adam Makowicz vs. Leszek Mozdzer.

L to R - Pawel Potoroczyn, Director, Polish Cultural Institute, NYC, who arranged for Mozdzer to come to NY, with Dale Fitzgerald, Founder/Executive Director, The Jazz Gallery.	Potoroczyn, Leszek Mozdzer, Jazz pianist extraordinaire, with Ylain G. Mayer, Contemporary Posters. Poster of Thelonius Monk watching over Mozdzer & Potoroczyn.

The Sept 26 Jazz poster opening was a success. The piano recital by Leszek Mozdzer was 'sold out'. His works are brilliantly executed. His fingers fly over the keyboard. He's imaginative & especially creative. He's a master showman as well as a world-class pianist.
(For further info contact leszek@mozdzer.com; www.mozdzer.com)

Payne Gallery
Moravian College
1200 Main St.
Bethlehem, PA
(610) 861-1680
January 23-March 2, 2003
Tuesday - Sunday, 11AM - 4PM

Bethlehem is 60 miles north of Philadelphia & 90 miles west of NYC.

See 25 original CYRK posters, including many hard-to-find images and 5 'censored' posters on display in the U.S. for the first time. (All posters were 'censored' & had to be approved by an agency of the Communist Party before the fall of Communism in 1989.)

The Payne Gallery is ranked in the top 10% of all college museums in the country. Moravian College, a liberal arts school, is the 6th oldest college in the U.S., with an enrollment of 1200 students. See News Release

Left to right: Curtis Keim, Moravian College Dean & wife Karen; Erwin Rokke, Moravian College President; Ylain G. Mayer, Contemporary Posters Donald S. Mayer, Contemporary Posters; Diane Radycki, PhD, Moravian College Director/Curator

Merkin Concert Hall
Kaufman Center
129 W. 67th St., NYC
October 25 - December 30, 2004
Opening Reception, Thursday, Nov. 18, 5:30-7PM

Film posters of the Polish School of Posters can be seen in the Balcony Gallery as a background to Merkin Concert Hall's silent movie series - 'REEL MUSIC Film + Live Music' performances Oct. 30, Nov. 18 & Dec. 11. A film by Alfred Hitchcock, 6 Russian short films & a 1926 Faust film are featured.

Jazz posters of the Polish School of Posters highlight 'The Monday Night at 8PM Jazz Concerts' beginning Oct. 25.

For details of all Merkin Concert Hall performances go to www.kaufman-center.org or call 212-501-3330.

An Opening Reception for the posters will be held on Thursday, November 18, 6-8PM. A 'Taste of Poland' will include a 'Taste of Vodka' & other Polish delights. All are welcome. No admission. In addition to more than 30 posters on display, additional posters will be shown. All posters are for sale. A percent of all sales go to the Kaufman Center.

Gallery of Graphic Arts, NYC
1601 York Ave, (bet. 84th - 85th St.), NYC
212-988-4731
Tuesday - Saturday, 11:00 - 6:30
August - December 2004

CYRK & other Polish School of Posters posters will be on view at New York's Gallery of Graphic Arts during August & September. It will be the gallery's first full-scale exhibit of posters from the world-famous Polish School of Posters.

On display will be more than 30 CYRK posters as well as a small sampling of Jazz, Jewish, Opera and Theater posters. The Gallery of Graphic Arts, an established Upper Eastside gallery and frame shop, features presentations of new and different contemporary art.

Non-CYRK posters

'Austeria' posters (#1125 &#1166) by Andrzej Pagowski, 1982	In a country inn in Polish Galicia during WWI, Hasidic Jews &other Jewish refugees gather. They wait for a sign that will give them their next move. Escape becomes less possible. Austeria recaptures the history of the Jewish people--folklore, customs, &culture in the not very distant past.
Jerzy Kawalerowicz	... with Ylain G. Mayer, Contemporary Posters

2nd Annual Women's Expo for a Healthy New York
Grand Central Terminal
January 7-8, 2004

- The OCRF Woman poster, an original 1970s vintage CYRK poster (#208) by Maciej Urbaniec, was the featured attraction at the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund booth at the 2nd Annual Woman's Expo for a Healthy New York, 1/7-9/04, Grand Central Terminal, NYC. - The former Woman on Square Unicycle was renamed September 1, 2002 in honor of "September is Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month" - 100% of the net proceeds from the poster sale is donated to OCRF. - Picture of Vanderbilt Hall at Grand Central Station, &at the OCRF booth, Ylain G. Mayer, Contemporary Posters &Christine McLaughlin.

The Design Museum @ FATHOM
309 No. 2nd St.
Harrisburg, PA
July 18 - Dec. 20, 2003
(888) 515-1635
Harrisburg... The Capital City in South Central PA

Above - Ylain G. Mayer, Contemporary Posters &Jane Levan, Fathom Design Group. That's Bello, the clown of Ringling Bros. and Barnum &Bailey circus, in the background.
Right - Rickey Poe, Harrisburg, PA; Jason Smith, principal, Fathom Design Group &Donna Meck, The Paper Lion Gallery, Harrisburg, PA at Opening Reception, 7/18/03

Entertainment Galleries
The Venetian Hotel
Grand Canal Shoppes
3377 Las Vegas Blvd. South
Las Vegas, NV 89109
702-866-6813
Fax 702-862-8615

The Grand Canal Shoppes at the Venetian Hotel look like they do in Venice, Italy with its St. Marks Sq., gondolas with gondoliers in striped shirts on its waterways &opera sung by costumed singers walking the narrow cobbled streets &bridges. Magnifico! Splendido! Molto Italiano!

		Some of the consultants handling sales of the beautifully framed CYRK posters hung in their own alcove display at the gorgeous ENTERTAINMENT GALLERIES. Other artists on display are Alphonse Mucha (vintage posters), Al Hirschfeld (theatrical/personality caricatures), Tom Everhard (PEANUTS cartoons), Rafal Olbinski (opera posters), &others.

DeLind Fine Art
Milwaukee, WI
Jan. 9-20, 2001

"Poster Extravaganza"
Collector Preview, Jan. 9, 2001

	Bill DeLind at the Collector Preview of "Poster Extravaganza," an exhibition of the best in Antique &Classic posters with contemporary CYRK posters.

Jason Vass Gallery
Santa Monica, CA
Oct. 16-24, 1999

Opening Reception, Oct. 16, 1999.

Jason Vass at the Opening Reception of the CYRK poster &film poster exhibit.

Pawel Potoroczyn, Cultural Attache, Consulate General of the Republic of Poland in LA

L-R; Donald S. Mayer, Contemporary Posters, with Boguslaw Lustyk &his 1979 CYRK poster Faces in crowd.

L-R; Polish American poster artist &CYRK poster designer Boguslaw Lustyk signing his 1968 Polish film poster with Jason Vass.

Weidman Gallery &Custom Framing
Los Angeles, CA
Nov. - Dec., 1999

L-R; Janet Zimberg Coxhill, Gallery Director, &Donna Witzemanm Weidman Gallery

Janet Zimberg Coxhill, Weidman Gallery

Warszawa Restaurant
1414 Lincoln Rd.
Santa Monica, CA

Click poster for details & artist's bio/artist's other posters!

Other CYRK artists: A-D, F-K, L-R, S-Z, Anonymous

Other contemporary vintage Polish posters by artists of the Polish School of Posters

Exhibit

Film
(Movie/
Cinema)

Jazz
Rock
Music

Jewish
(Judaica)

Opera
Ballet
Dance

Political
(Solidarity)
Social

Promo-
tional

Theater

Travel
Leisure
Zoo

Newly Acquired Posters!

All CYRK posters