Introducing Jerzy Treutler Limited Edition Screen-prints | Projekt 26 x The Private Press
BY PROJEKT 26 | 14 OCT 2022
We are absolutely delighted to be able to share with you the news of this very special project we’ve been working on with Gary at The Private Press. In collaboration with Ewa at Twarda Sztuka Foundation who looks after Jerzy Treutler’s archives, we have created this limited edition screen-print (numbered 35 copies) of one of Jerzy Treutler’s most iconic poster designs.
THE ‘POODLES’ POSTER DESIGN
We chose this 1973 'Poodles’ circus poster by Jerzy Treutler as our first limited edition screen-print with Gary at the Private Press for several reasons. It’s one of our favourite circus poster designs and its bold block colours lend themselves perfectly to the beautiful process of screen-printing. Not only that, but there are no other reprints of Jerzy Treutler’s posters so to be able to reproduce this incredible, rare design and bring it back to life has been a real privilege.
Projekt 26 x The Private Press
THE SCREEN-PRINTING PROCESS
Gary from the Private Press in Brighton is an absolute legend. He has an incredible eye for detail and is absolutely meticulous. He produced screen-prints for some our favourite contemporary UK artists including David Shrigley, Anthony Burrell and Magda Archer.
This collaboration will sit alongside their work as part of his ‘Editions’ series.
It has been an honour to be able to give this wonderful poster a new lease of life and Gary has poured great love and attention into getting every detail absolutely right, so that it remains as faithful as possible to the original - whilst also adding the beauty of the screen-printing process.
He spent time carefully making colour separations in Photoshop from a high res scan of the original poster, which we continually referred to in the selection of paper and inks. We mixed the colours to ensure a perfect match to the original, with colour references kindly supplied by Treutler's estate. The colours work beautifully together, and the extra care was taken with the black to not make it too opaque and so a little of the pink tone is visible underneath, just like the original.
The print measures 50x70cm and is printed onto GF Smith’s Colorplan Bright White 270gsm, a beautiful white uncoated paper which again takes it cue from the original.
If you’re not familiar with the screen-printing process this is a lovely little explainer from a vintage Penguin book about printing which Gary had in his studio; we’ve also included the introduction to lithograohy which is how all of our original vintage Polish posters were printed…
MEET THE ARTIST | JERZY TREUTLER | 31.5.1931 - 11.12.2020
Jerzy Treutler was born on 31st of May 1931 in Beszyn, Poland. From the beginning he had a passion for drawing but the war heavily disrupted his childhood; Treutler had to move schools six times and the family were forced out of their home which was confiscated by the Communist State.
After Treutler finally gained his school diploma, he went on to study graphics at the Warsaw Academy of Fine Arts under Professor Tadeusz Kulisiewicz. He graduated in 1955 alongside fellow Polish poster legend Hubert Hilscher, who he remained great friends with.
Over the course of his 50 year career Treutler designed hundreds of film, opera, social and circus posters as well as satirical illustrations, book covers, catalogues and the iconic swallow logo for the celebrated Polish fashion house ‘Moda Polska’. He worked as an art director and chief graphic designer in various publishing houses and as a contemporary art expert in the Ministry of Culture and Art.
Yet posters remained Treutler's passion. His designs were dynamic, bold and colourful. They were also full of heart and meaning; thoughtful interpretations of a topic, full of associations and metaphors.
In 1977 Treutler received the title of Graphic Expert from the Polish Ministry of Culture. His works have won many awards and been exhibited around the world. Jerzy Treutler was a major figure within the Polish School of Posters - the term used to describe the ground-breaking graphic art movement which emerged from dark years of Communist rule (1950s-1980s).
Jerzy Treutler in his studio, 1970s | Photo credit: Archiwum Jerzego i Aliny Treutler/AJAT
We hope you’ve enjoyed reading about our Jerzy Treutler poodles screen-prints and you love them as much as we do :) Love Harriet + Sylwia x