What makes Polish comics stand out is the independence of its creators. Unlike the U.S. and French scenes, in Poland, there’s no strict divide between mainstream and authorial comics. In fact, every Polish comics artist creates independent publications, which means they have artistic freedom to experiment with both text and images. 

At the invitation of the Polish Institute Brussels during this year’s edition of BD Comic Strip Festival in Brussels, you will have the opportunity to meet two extraordinary Polish comic artists – Przemysław “Trust” Truściński and Wojciech Stefaniec. Their books are translated into foreign languages, and the circle of lovers of their work is constantly growing. The exhibition at BD Comic Strip Festival will present their best-known comics. 

Przemysław “Trust” Truściński

Przemysław “Trust” Truściński – graduated from the Faculty of Graphics at the Strzemiński Academy of Fine Arts in Łódź. Considered one of the most eminent Polish comics artists, in the ‘90s of the 20th century Trust co-originated the Association of Artists ‘Contur’ as well as co-organised first comic cons and festivals in Poland. As an artist, Truściński is mostly interested in creating unreal worlds. What his works have in common are surreal, oneiric, and fantasy themes.  

“Andzia” – Andzia is a modern rebel, a brave girl who is curious about the world, and has her own opinion. She’s really herself and doesn’t act how grown-ups expect. She’s not afraid of adventure and often gets into trouble because she does things she’s not supposed to. The illustration in the comic book make everything look like a fairy tale, taking us into a dreamy world where anything can happen, and the only limits are what we can imagine. Recently, the comic book “Andzia” was published in French by the publishing house “Editions de la Cerise”. 

The exhibition will also present illustrations from “The Witcher”. Przemysław Truściński is the author of the design for the world-famous computer game based on Andrzej Sapkowski’s novel. You will also have the opportunity to see Trust’s other works from the last 15 years of his artistic activity. 

Wojciech Stefaniec

Wojciech Stefaniec – illustrator and painter, designer of posters and covers for books and CDs. He was the winner of the Polish Comics Association’s awards for the best cartoonist of the year in 2011, 2015 and 2019. He received those for the best comic book in 2013 and 2015 with Noir (script by Łukasz Bogacz) and Come back to me again (Wróć do mnie, jeszcze raz, script by Sztybor). Wojciech Stefaniec is published in fanzines and magazines dedicated to the ninth art such as Ziniol, Biceps and B5. 

“Bardo” comic series – A silent catastrophe has occurred in Bardo, the city of “no end”. Plants became extinct, the last species of animals began to die. Food was replaced by chemical pills. Residents were tainted by the curse of infertility. Is there a chance for life to survive facing the biological decay of all organisms? It’s a futuristic anti-utopia, an experimental crime story in the form of a comic book. Illustrations: Wojciech Stefaniec. Written by Daniel Odija. The first two comic books of the series “Bardo” – “Stolp” and “Rita” – were recently published in Dutch by the publishing house „Scratchbooks”.  

---

Exhibition
“Contemporary Polish Comics: Stefaniec & Truściński”

---

Wojciech Stefaniec and his illustrations bursting with colors and dynamism versus Przemysław Truściński*, whose style features unique, often surreal, dreamlike, and fantastical details similar to his character from “The Witcher”. An exhibition showcasing around fifteen large-format illustrations from these two Polish artists (present at the festival), along with around a hundred images from their albums, presented in a digital exhibition on screens. It’s fresh, it’s vibrant, and it’s a must-see!

*In collaboration with Piotr Machłajewski – curator, author of numerous catalogs and anthologies on Polish comics.

---

Activities Schedule
– workshops, live drawing, conversation, autograph sessions –

---

Friday – 08/09

• 11:30-12:30 – Workshop for kids with Wojciech Stefaniec, “Comics and Imagination”
  for kids from 10 to 14 yo | up to 10 participants | in English translated to French
  
  Wojciech Stefaniec is an expert in color and contours – the worlds he creates are characterized by extraordinary plasticity. You’ll be able to explore these worlds directly with him through his energy and good humor while tapping into your imagination. Wojciech believes that everyone can draw; some just aren’t aware of it.
  
  
• 12:45-13:45 – Workshop for kids with Przemysław “Trust” Truściński, “Creative Imagination – Accessing the World of Comics”
  for kids 10 years old and older | up to 15 participants | inn Polish translated to French
  
  Przemysław Truściński creates unreal worlds, surreal, dreamlike, and fantastical themes. He will take us on a journey through intricately built worlds to access the gates of your imagination at the level of characters present in “The Witcher”, a globally renowned video game based on Andrzej Sapkowski’s novel.
  
  
• 16:00-16:45 – Conversation with Przemysław “Trust” Truscinski and Nicolas Keramidas, “Video Games and Comics: Intersecting Narratives” conducted by Thierry Tinlot
  
  Synopsis: Despite comic books predating the invention of video games, it’s evident that these two creative disciplines mutually influence each other. To the extent that narrative bridges blur boundaries and invigorate new creations in both domains.

Saturday – 09/09

• 10:00 and 12:00 – Live drawing with Przemysław “Trust” Truściński
• 14:00 and 16:00 – Live drawing with Wojciech Stefaniec
• 10:00-18:00 – Autograph session with Wojciech Stefaniec and Przemysław “Trust” Truściński

Sunday – 10/09

• 10:00 and 12:00 – Live drawing with Wojciech Stefaniec
• 14:00 and 16:00 – Live drawing with Przemysław “Trust” Truściński
• 10:00-18:00 – Autograph session with Wojciech Stefaniec and Przemysław “Trust” Truściński

---

During the Festival, the Timof Comics publishing house will offer a wide selection of Polish comic books.

---

BD Comic Strip Festival
Friday, September 8, 9:00-18:00
Saturday, September 9, 10:00-18:00
Sunday, September 10, 10:00-18:00

Tour&Taxis | Gare Maritime 
Avenue du Port, 1000 Brussels
Free admission

Programme