74 posters, two projects and a unique perspective on the work of Andrzej Wajda. From 8 November 2026 to 8 February 2027, the Tumult Foundation at 28 Rynek Nowomiejski in Toruń will host an exhibition comprising two parts: “Wajda Anew” and “Wajda Anew - Supplement”, both created by Andrzej Pągowski. The opening reception, attended by the artist, will take place on 8 November at 5:00 PM. Admission to the opening is free.
We are all familiar with Andrzej Wajda’s place in Polish and world cinema. Yet when asked about his work, the average viewer will usually name only a handful of titles: Kanal, Ashes and Diamonds, The Promised Land and Man of Iron. Wajda’s body of work, however, comprises as many as 60 films, including numerous outstanding documentaries that may be less familiar but are equally important to understanding his artistic personality.
The project “Wajda Anew”, created by Andrzej Pągowski, an acclaimed Polish graphic artist and film poster designer who has been connected with Andrzej Wajda’s work for more than four decades, presents the work of one of Poland’s most important directors through a series of posters, offering a fresh perspective on films that have become an enduring part of cinema history. The exhibition at the Tumult Foundation will feature posters for Wajda’s fiction and documentary films, as well as for Television Theatre productions directed by him.
Andrzej Pągowski’s artistic encounter with Andrzej Wajda’s work dates back to 1981, when the graphic artist was working on a poster for Man of Iron. This marked the beginning of an artistic relationship that would lead to posters for many of the director’s films in the years that followed, including Danton, Chronicle of Love Affairs, The Ring with a Crowned Eagle, Walesa: Man of Hope and Afterimage.
A special place in this story belongs to the poster for Man of Iron, which became Wajda’s favourite among Pągowski’s designs. The director mentioned it on numerous occasions and even joked in one interview that “it was worth making a film just to have a poster like that”.
Although Andrzej Wajda’s position in the history of Polish and world cinema is unquestionable, the need to revisit the diversity of his work became the starting point for the “Wajda Anew” project.
The idea emerged in 2021, marking the 95th anniversary of Andrzej Wajda’s birth and the fifth anniversary of his death. At that time, Andrzej Pągowski delved into archival film materials, interviews, behind-the-scenes footage and recollections shared by the director’s actors and collaborators. This research allowed him to gain a deeper understanding of Wajda’s working methods, his approach to directing actors, his relationships with film crews and his way of telling stories through images.
The result was a collection of 60 new posters entitled “Wajda Anew”. The only exception was Man of Iron. Given the director’s particular attachment to the original poster, Pągowski decided not to create an entirely new interpretation. Instead, he adapted the original design from a horizontal to a vertical format.
The project thus became much more than a series of graphic interpretations of films. It is a personal journey through the work of an artist with whom Pągowski shares a long history, as well as an attempt to reinterpret Wajda’s artistic legacy through the lens of contemporary visual sensibility.
In 2026, designated the Year of Andrzej Wajda, Andrzej Pągowski decided to expand the project to include another significant aspect of the director’s work. This time, his inspiration came from Television Theatre productions, which offer a perspective on Wajda not only as the creator of great films but also as an artist who moved effortlessly between different forms of storytelling and interpreting reality.
This led to the creation of “Wajda Anew - Supplement”, a series comprising 14 new theatre posters. Among them are works dedicated to productions such as Hamlet, starring Teresa Budzisz-Krzyżanowska; Macbeth, starring Tadeusz Łomnicki and Magdalena Zawadzka; another production of Macbeth, starring Iwona Bielska and Krzysztof Globisz; and Bigda Is Coming!, starring Janusz Gajos.
Combining the two projects resulted in a collection of 74 posters. What makes it unique is the juxtaposition of posters dedicated to all of Wajda’s films with works inspired by his Television Theatre productions. This comprehensive approach offers a fuller, more multifaceted view of the director’s legacy and reveals the continuity of his artistic explorations across both cinema and television.
The “Wajda Anew” project pays tribute to an artist whose work has become an integral part of Polish and world culture. At the same time, it invites audiences to explore his legacy beyond the most familiar titles in the canon.
The exhibition at the Tumult Foundation will offer an opportunity to discover both the breadth of Andrzej Wajda’s artistic achievements and the creative dialogue that Andrzej Pągowski has maintained with him since 1981. It is a meeting of two artistic personalities whose work has shaped Polish visual culture in different yet equally significant ways.
The organisers hope that the collection will inspire visitors to return to the Master’s films and theatre productions, including those that are less widely known but no less important.
The “Wajda Anew” exhibition will be held at the Tumult Foundation, 28 Rynek Nowomiejski, Toruń, from 8 November 2026 to 8 February 2027.
The organisers also invite visitors to the exhibition opening, with poster artist Andrzej Pągowski as the special guest. The event will take place at the Tumult Foundation on 8 November at 5:00 PM. Admission is free.
The exhibition is part of the “Film Autumn in the Kuyavian-Pomeranian Region” programme and accompanies the 34th edition of the ToruńCAMERIMAGE International Film Festival.
In Toruń, the future steps onto the set! This is where the European Film Centre CAMERIMAGE Studio begins its work.