XVIII Student Song Festival

Jacek Zaborski’s poster for the 18th Student Song Festival (Kraków, 1981) presents a hyperrealistic image of parted lips, inside which stands a bird with its beak open in song—serving as a metaphor for the artist expressing themselves through voice. The composition employs a sensual aesthetic—glossy lips, meticulously polished teeth, and subtle highlights—contrasted by the surrealism of a bird trapped within the mouth. The symbolism can be interpreted as a depiction of voice as a tool of freedom and expression, but also as a critical reflection on the limitations imposed on the artist within a system. The minimalist typography does not compete with the image but complements its meaning. The overall effect is evocative, balancing between absurdity and a poetic metaphor of freedom of speech.