Jurek Wajdowicz (born April 26, 1951, Cracow) is a Polish-born American artist, graphic designer, fine art contemporary photographer and

art director Art director is the title for a variety of similar job functions in theater, advertising, marketing, publishing, fashion, film industry, film and television, the Internet, and video games. It is the charge of a sole art director to supervise and ...

. He lives and works in

New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...

. Wajdowicz concentrates on images of poverty, famine, social inequality and violence in his typographic designs to more tranquil contemplative images in his art photography. From 2009, Wajdowicz has focused on fine art abstract photography resulting in several ongoing thematic series. His book, ''Liminal Spaces'' was published in 2013. Some of his recent work was represented at the Kasia Michalski Gallery in Warsaw, Poland 2015, the Vienna contemporary art fair in Vienna, Austria 2015,

Nailya Alexander Gallery The Nailya Alexander Gallery is an American art gallery that was founded in New York City in 2004. A member of the Association of International Photography Art Dealers, the gallery is known for its collection of rare and vintage gelatin-silver pr ...

in New York in 2016, and Book Art Museum in Lodz, Poland 2018. Wajdowicz was selected as one of the "Most Influential Graphic Designers of the Past 50 Years" in the 50th Anniversary Survey of ''Graphic Design: USA'' magazine.

Life and career

Wajdowicz began his career as an artist in Lodz, Poland, where he graduated

summa cum laude Latin honors are a system of Latin phrases used in some colleges and universities to indicate the level of distinction with which an academic degree has been earned. The system is primarily used in the United States. It is also used in some Sou ...

with a

master's degree A master's degree (from Latin ) is an academic degree awarded by universities or colleges upon completion of a course of study demonstrating mastery or a high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice.

in graphic design from the Lodz Academy of Fine Arts. After working on design projects for theaters and museums in Lodz, Warsaw and England (Pentagram, London), he went to the United States as an art director at Lubalin, Burns & Company in New York before co-founding Emerson, Wajdowicz Studios (EWS) with Lisa LaRochelle in 1982. EWS' partners and clients include international humanitarian organizations and non-profit institutions active in

social change Social change is the alteration of the social order of a society which may include changes in social institutions, social behaviours or social relations. Definition Social change may not refer to the notion of social progress or sociocult ...

. From the 1990s to the present Wajdowicz and EWS created projects for the

Rockefeller Foundation The Rockefeller Foundation is an American private foundation and philanthropic medical research and arts funding organization based at 420 Fifth Avenue, New York City. The second-oldest major philanthropic institution in America, after the Carneg ...

Domtar Domtar Corporation is an American company that manufactures and markets wood fiber-based paper and pulp product. The company operates pulp and paper mills in Windsor, Quebec, Dryden, Ontario, Kamloops, British Columbia, Ashdown, Arkansas, Hawesv ...

Doctors Without Borders Doctor or The Doctor may refer to: Personal titles * Doctor (title), the holder of an accredited academic degree * A medical practitioner, including: ** Physician ** Surgeon ** Dentist ** Veterinary physician ** Optometrist *Other roles ** ...

(MSF), the

Arcus Foundation The Arcus Foundation is an international charitable foundation focused on issues related to LGBT rights, social justice, ape conservation, and environmental preservation. The foundation's stated mission is "to ensure that LGBT people and our fello ...

International Rescue Committee The International Rescue Committee (IRC) is a global humanitarian aid, relief, and development nongovernmental organization. Founded in 1933 as the International Relief Association, at the request of Albert Einstein, and changing its name in 19 ...

Magnum Photos Magnum Photos is an international photographic cooperative owned by its photographer-members, with offices in New York City, Paris, London and Tokyo. It was founded in 1947 in Paris by photographers Robert Capa, David Seymour (photographer), Davi ...

Freedom House Freedom House is a non-profit, majority U.S. government funded organization in Washington, D.C., that conducts research and advocacy on democracy, political freedom, and human rights. Freedom House was founded in October 1941, and Wendell Wil ...

and the

United Nations The United Nations (UN) is an intergovernmental organization whose stated purposes are to maintain international peace and international security, security, develop friendly relations among nations, achieve international cooperation, and be ...

, working with photographers such as

Eugene Richards Eugene Richards (born 1944) is an American documentary photographer living in Brooklyn, New York. He has published many books of photography and has been a member of Magnum Photos and of VII Photo Agency. He was born in Dorchester, Massachusett ...

Sebastião Salgado Sebastião Ribeiro Salgado Júnior (born February 8, 1944) is a Brazilian social documentary photographer and photojournalist. He has traveled in over 120 countries for his photographic projects. Most of these have appeared in numerous press pu ...

Steve McCurry Steve McCurry (born April 23, 1950) is an American photographer, freelancer, and photojournalist. His photo ''Afghan Girl'', of a girl with piercing green eyes, has appeared on the cover of ''National Geographic'' several times. McCurry has photo ...

Antonin Kratochvil Antonin may refer to: People * Antonin (name) Places ;Poland * Antonin, Jarocin County, Greater Poland Voivodeship * Antonin, Kalisz County, Greater Poland Voivodeship * Antonin, Oborniki County, Greater Poland Voivodeship * Antonin, Ostr ...

, Deborah Turbeville,

Philip Jones Griffiths Philip Jones Griffiths (18 February 1936 – 19 March 2008) was a Welsh people, Welsh photojournalist known for his coverage of the Vietnam War. Biography Jones Griffiths was born in Rhuddlan in Denbighshire, North Wales, to Joseph Griffiths ...

Richard Avedon Richard Avedon (May 15, 1923 – October 1, 2004) was an American fashion and portrait photographer. He worked for ''Harper's Bazaar'', ''Vogue'' and ''Elle'' specializing in capturing movement in still pictures of fashion, theater and danc ...

Elliott Erwitt Elliott Erwitt (born Elio Romano Erwitt, July 26, 1928) is a French-born American advertising and documentary photographer known for his black and white candid photos of ironic and absurd situations within everyday settings. He has been a member ...

, Jonas Bendiksen,

James Nachtwey James Nachtwey (born March 14, 1948) is an American photojournalist and war photographer. He has been awarded the Overseas Press Club's Robert Capa Gold Medal five times and two World Press Photo awards. In 2003, Nachtwey was injured in a gren ...

, Alex Webb and

Gueorgui Pinkhassov Gueorgui Pinkhassov is a photographer, born in Moscow in 1953. He is a member of Magnum Photos. Life and work Pinkhassov began his interest in photography in his teens, and enrolled at the Moscow Institute of Cinematography (VGIK) in 1969. Fo ...

. From 2013 Jurek Wajdowicz became the art director, curator and also a contributing photographer of the international LGBT-themed, photography books, a concept co-created by

Jon Stryker Jon Lloyd Stryker (born c. 1958) is an American architect, philanthropist, and billionaire heir to the Stryker Corporation medical technology company fortune. As reported by Forbes, Stryker's net worth is estimated at $4.2 billion. Stryker is t ...

and Wajdowicz. The ongoing series is published by

The New Press The New Press is an independent non-profit public-interest book publisher established in 1992 by André SchiffrinFred Ritchin and Jennifer Sterling. *''Pride & Joy: Taking the Streets of New York City.'' The New Press, 2016. With introductions by

Kate Clinton Kate Clinton (born November 9, 1947) is an American comedian specializing in political commentary from a gay/ lesbian point of view. Early life and education Clinton was born in Buffalo, New York. She was raised in a large Catholic family in th ...

and

. *''67/11.'' EWS Press, 2017.

Publications with contributions by Wajdowicz

* ''Endure – Renewal from ground zero.'' Jurek Wajdowicz with

Antonín Kratochvíl Antonín Kratochvíl (also written Antonin Kratochvil; born 12 April 1947) is a Czech-born American photojournalist. He is a founding member of VII Photo Agency. Life and work Kratochvíl was born in 1947 in Lovosice, Czechoslovakia. He gained a ...

Gilles Peress Gilles Peress (born December 29, 1946) is a French photographer and a member of Magnum Photos. Peress began working with photography in 1970, having previously studied political science and philosophy in Paris. One of Peress' first projects exa ...

, Carolina Salguero,

Larry Towell Larry Towell (born 1953) is a Canadian photographer, poet, and oral historian. Towell is known for his photographs of sites of political conflict in the Ukraine, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Standing Rock and Afghanistan, among others. In 1988, Towell ...

and Alex Webb.

, 2001. . * ''Political / Social Posters.'' Jurek Wajdowicz with Andrea Castelletti, John Clark,

Milton Glaser Milton Glaser (June 26, 1929June 26, 2020) was an American graphic designer. His most notable designs include the I Love New York logo, a 1966 poster for Bob Dylan, and the logos for DC Comics, Stony Brook University and Brooklyn Brewery. In 1954 ...

, Mark Gowing, Toshiaki Ide, Uwe Loesch, Joao Machado, Pentagram Design and Francois Robert. Edited by B Martin Pedersen, Graphis. 2015. . * Robin Landa. ''Graphic Design Solutions''. Boston:

Wadsworth Publishing Cengage Group is an American educational content, technology, and services company for the higher education, K-12, professional, and library markets. It operates in more than 20 countries around the world.(Jun 27, 2014Global Publishing Leaders ...

. * Misha Friedman. ''Lyudmila and Natasha.'' New York:

The New Press The New Press is an independent non-profit public-interest book publisher established in 1992 by André Schiffrin The New Press The New Press is an independent non-profit public-interest book publisher established in 1992 by André Schiffrin The New Press The New Press is an independent non-profit public-interest book publisher established in 1992 by André Schiffrin The New Press The New Press is an independent non-profit public-interest book publisher established in 1992 by André Schiffrin The New Press The New Press is an independent non-profit public-interest book publisher established in 1992 by André Schiffrin The New Press The New Press is an independent non-profit public-interest book publisher established in 1992 by André Schiffrin The New Press The New Press is an independent non-profit public-interest book publisher established in 1992 by André Schiffrin United States Library of Congress The Library of Congress (LOC) is the research library that officially serves the United States Congress and is the ''de facto'' national library of the United States. It is the oldest federal cultural institution in the country. The library is ...

(USA). *National 9/11 Memorial & Museum (USA). *

Headquarters (Geneva and New York). *

(New York). *The Poster Museum in Wilanow (Poland). *The Musée des Arts Décoratifs (Switzerland). *

American Institute of Graphic Arts The American Institute of Graphic Arts (AIGA) is a professional organization for design. Its members practice all forms of communication design, including graphic design, typography, interaction design, user experience, branding and identity. T ...

(New York). *Museum of Modern Art in Lodz (Poland). *

(New York). *Museum für Kunst und Gewerbe (Hamburg). *Collection of the

Center for the Study of Political Graphics The Center for the Study of Political Graphics (CSPG) is a United States non-profit, educational and research archive that collects, preserves, documents, and circulates domestic and international political posters relating to historical and conte ...

(Culver City, USA)
Book Art Museum
in Lodz (Poland)

References

External links

Jurek Wajdowicz's official fine art photography websiteEmerson Wajdowicz Studios (EWS) design websiteKasia Michalski Gallery 2015 Jurek Wajdowicz Solace Exhibition Interview
(in English and Polish)
Liminal Spaces. Fotografie_75. Jurek Wajdowicz. Lars Müller Publishers
*Pride & Joy. Taking the Streets of New York City
The New Press
*Primary Forces Exhibition 2016. Jurek Wajdowicz @ Nailya Alexander Galler
Jurek Wajdowicz - Artists - Nailya Alexander Gallery
*Diverse Humanity Photo Books Serie
About , Diverse Humanity
*67/11. Jurek Wajdowicz. 2017. EWS Pres
“67/11” by Jurek Wajdowicz. Book trailer.
*Book Art Museum 2018. Swiatla i Swiaty / Luminescence Exhibitio
„Światła i Światy” - Jurek Wajdowicz i Ewa Latkowska-Żychska
{{DEFAULTSORT:Wajdowicz, Jurek 1951 births Living people American graphic designers Artists from New York City Polish emigrants to the United States Artists from Łódź American art directors American contemporary artists Fine art photographers