***In terms of poster creation, Sadowski mostly used metaphors as a tool in his works. This was a way for his art to become expressive, as it allowed him to develop concepts such as fear and death. Beyond the image, viewers could engage and find a deeper meaning within his art. Beginning with Smierc Dantona (Danton’s Death), this poster features the profile of a mask-like face with hollowed eyes and an opened mouth hovering over a pile of dead crows. The tears around the edges of the mask suggest that it has been ripped out from something or someone. Because crows are symbols of death, the mask hovering over the pile of the birds could resemble that death is approaching. There is something sinister about the ambience created in this piece.

Another one of Sadowski’s works is Lorenzaccio, which displays an angled view of a white mask removed from a faceless man wearing metal armor. Sadowski used various shading and sketching techniques to create a rough texture and to overall diminish the features of the figure. The mask that is being removed from the man’s face could be intentional to reveal the man’s actual face. However, the identity of this man is unknown as there are no signs of facial features which provide an unsettling feeling to the poster. This could be that the man only serves one purpose, to entertain others. He would be nothing without this “mask” that hides his true self.

Continuing on, the poster Ghetto highlights a child wrapped in a bloody clown mask with smeared makeup and a red cone attached, held together by strings. Similar to his other posters, Sadowski used darker colors like blacks, reds, and grays to enhance the overall feeling of fear. The child’s lip expression hints that the child is in pain. Perhaps this reaction is caused by the tension of the white string that wraps around his mouth. The clown mask that covers the child’s upper half of his head implies this idea of vulnerability because he cannot see his surroundings. The black background creates the concept of the unknown, which becomes prevalent in Poland’s role during the Cold War as they were unsure of when the fight for their freedom would be over. Sadowski wanted to expand his works to connect with others to remind them that the war isn’t over yet and that these posters are warnings and signs to look for.

*These three posters contain different visual illustrations of masks, yet they all contribute to raise awareness of the social and political issues in Poland during the twentieth century. The artist, Stasys Eidrigevičius, used irony as an artistic tool in his posters, meaning the purpose of his graphics doesn’t serve its role. For instance, Szkoda, ze cie tu nie ma (Wish you were here) features a coffee cup that resembles a face. Coffee stimulates the increase in energy for a person. Although the cup is full of the drink, the figure seems to have no strength left, and it’s rather lifeless. The impression given on this cup is ironic because its purpose and its effect are the opposite.

This ironic imagery is similar to XIV Zamojskie Lato Teatralne. Theaters are energetic, colorful, and or comedic, but Stasys presented the opposite of that vision. Instead, he designed a gruesome-looking poster that displays the profile of a distorted figure who wears a mask made of fragmented pieces. It seems like something or someone attached the mask with force on the figure, which might have created the shocked expression on their face. Perhaps the artist wanted to let his audience understand how the Soviets forced the Polish under their control. Putting on the “fragmented mask” was a reminder of how they were entertainment for the Soviets.

Another poster that spoke for Poland’s oppression, is Wielki Teatr Świata (The Great Theatre of the World) which features a child-like figure with a solemn expression, who wears a coat in a deep cobalt blue background. The appearance of the figure and its face is rather rough like it has been tormented physically and emotionally. Stasys used the sleeve to symbolize a "mask" because it created a message that weakness is something everyone experiences. Inside of the sleeve reveals nothing but a black space of emptiness, hence this imagery represents how torn the Polish were during The Cold War and the Soviet dominance; they felt vulnerable and unable to protect themselves. Perhaps this "mask" belonged to Poland because they didn't have enough strength to fight against the authoritative control of the Soviet Union.

**Polish designer, Andrzej Pagowski, worked with symbolism in representing an in-depth meaning for viewers to identify. With that, symbolism revolves around common culture iconography. Influenced by events the Polish either celebrated or knew about, those who have seen the specific image could understand what it could represent. Essentially, cultural symbols are present in Pagowski’s works. In Hair, the poster displays a profile of a young American soldier with his face covered by hair and objects that symbolize freedom such as a reflecting American flag, a rainbow, and a white peace sign. This “mask” could symbolize the freedom that the soldier seeks. From Poland’s perspective, this imagery of achieving independence is what they’ve longed for. They might have seen how America was a significant symbol for freedom which is perhaps why Pagowski included these objects in response to Poland’s desire.

Another symbolic poster is Mistrz I Małgorzata, which highlights an anonymous figure with black devil horns protruding from a red piece of thick folded paper covering its face. Since the main color of the Soviet Union’s flag is red, the paper could represent their country. Behind the paper, the mask is a figure who could represent the devil because of the devil-like horns. The two can be compared with each other, as they both associate with the color red and a desire to commit evil deeds.

Lastly is the poster for the Shakespeare play, Macbeth, a popular play during the twentieth century Eastern Europe, about a man taken over by desire, greed, and ambition to become a king. The focus in this poster is a middle-aged man wrapped by a red brick wall covering his eyes and his chin. It seems like the brick wall “mask” purposely covers the man’s eyes as a way to show the blindness of his desire to become a king. Much like the symbolism behind this man and the brick wall “mask”, the Soviet Union was blinded by their desires. They saw their power to reach success and glory as a strong nation without thinking about the consequences which were much beyond their control.

***In terms of poster creation, Sadowski mostly used metaphors as a tool in his works. This was a way for his art to become expressive, as it allowed him to develop concepts such as fear and death. Beyond the image, viewers could engage and find a deeper meaning within his art. Beginning with Smierc Dantona (Danton’s Death), this poster features the profile of a mask-like face with hollowed eyes and an opened mouth hovering over a pile of dead crows. The tears around the edges of the mask suggest that it has been ripped out from something or someone. Because crows are symbols of death, the mask hovering over the pile of the birds could resemble that death is approaching. There is something sinister about the ambience created in this piece.

Another one of Sadowski’s works is Lorenzaccio, which displays an angled view of a white mask removed from a faceless man wearing metal armor. Sadowski used various shading and sketching techniques to create a rough texture and to overall diminish the features of the figure. The mask that is being removed from the man’s face could be intentional to reveal the man’s actual face. However, the identity of this man is unknown as there are no signs of facial features which provide an unsettling feeling to the poster. This could be that the man only serves one purpose, to entertain others. He would be nothing without this “mask” that hides his true self.

Continuing on, the poster Ghetto highlights a child wrapped in a bloody clown mask with smeared makeup and a red cone attached, held together by strings. Similar to his other posters, Sadowski used darker colors like blacks, reds, and grays to enhance the overall feeling of fear. The child’s lip expression hints that the child is in pain. Perhaps this reaction is caused by the tension of the white string that wraps around his mouth. The clown mask that covers the child’s upper half of his head implies this idea of vulnerability because he cannot see his surroundings. The black background creates the concept of the unknown, which becomes prevalent in Poland’s role during the Cold War as they were unsure of when the fight for their freedom would be over. Sadowski wanted to expand his works to connect with others to remind them that the war isn’t over yet and that these posters are warnings and signs to look for.

**

The next poster is for the Polish version of Franz Kafka’s novel Proces originally titled The Trial. Looking closer, the poster displays the profile of a bald man with thick bushy eyebrows and his eyes closed. His head casts a dark shadow on the gray background which highlights the man’s presence in the poster. Unlike other artists who use literal mask imagery, Gorowski created one through a red dog muzzle. This imagery of the dog muzzle creates a metaphor with ironic intent. Since the muzzle doesn’t fit the man, the artist could’ve made him speaking, but the idea that this tool is for animals, it’s clear that this man is treated like one, thus his inability to speak. This is like the treatment of the Polish during their oppression during the Cold War and WWII as they were “animals” that couldn’t be tamed.

Lastly, the theater poster, Pierwszy Dzień Wolności (First Day of Freedom), has a grainy grayscale photograph of an old man covering his eyes and surrounded by a black background. Gorowski's approach to this design is interesting in that he created the imagery of a mask by making the man use his hands to block the light from reaching his eyes. This moment of emerging out of the dark is bold and meaningful like he is leaving his past behind, and entering a new one. As the viewer looks onto this image of the man, they ponder the mystery of where he is coming from and going into.