The Solidarity logo designed by Jerzy Janiszewski and K. Janiszewski in 1980 is considered as an important example of Polish Poster School creations. The poster was made originally for the August 1980 Lenin shipyard strike which took place in their hometown of Gdansk. [1] The logo was awarded the Grand Prix of the Biennale of Posters, Katowice 1981. By that time it was already well known in Poland and had become an internationally recognized icon. [2]
According to the artist, the letters were designed to represent united individuals. [3] This characteristic font, colloquially known as solidaryca ("Solidaric"), was implemented many times in posters and other pieces of art in different contexts. Notable examples include a film poster for Man of Iron by Andrzej Wajda [4] and, in 1989, a poster by Tomasz Sarnecki designed for the first (semi-)free elections in Poland.