XII Jazz on the Oder

The poster by Jan Sawka promoting the 12th “Jazz on the Oder” Festival (Wrocław, 1975) employs a highly symbolic, minimalist graphic language. In the foreground, we see a street musician in a coat playing the violin, with a hat lying at his feet containing a few coins—a gesture alluding to the artist’s status, not always appreciated in material terms. The upper part of the poster, almost entirely black, creates a void that contrasts with a vivid green strip of grass at the bottom—perhaps symbolizing life, hope, or a street stage. The hand-drawn typography and the placement of Sawka’s signature on the right align with the artist’s distinctive style—juxtaposing grotesque imagery with existential reflection. The overall composition forms a poignant, poetically bitter metaphor for the creator’s place in society.