Kemistry Gallery are excited to host a unique collection of Polish film posters from the early 1960’s (remnants of a once larger accumulation, depleted after a theft and a fire) brought back from the UK in 1964 by Ken Sequin, at the time a recent graduate from the Royal College of Art.

Iconic posters, including examples by Lenica, Ciesiewich and Swierzy will be exhibited alongside rare posters by the only two women designers of the period, Baceewska and Huskowska. The exhibition is accompanied by a vivid account of Sequin’s journey to meet some of the designers and animators he so admired. Ken is of the opinion - as the 60’s moved onto the 70’s, polish poster design began to loose its edge - in part due to a decline in the use of hand drawn letterforms (not least, full blown, full colour half-tone reproductions) and as the Iron Curtain degenerated into one of damask - the all pervasive influences of Psychedelia.

‘In the summer of 1964 I set out on a boat and train journey to visit Poland and Czechoslovakia (travelling via Berlin before intending to return to London via Paris). I had started a proposal during my final year at the Royal College of Art to research into the animators and poster designers I had for so-long admired from those countries. I was awarded the annual RCA travelling scholarship on the strength of it.’

To read more of Ken Sequin’s Polish Adventure please visit the show.