Anna Helena Szymborska

• born 1982
• born in Łódź
• she lives and creates her works in Warsaw
• she specializes in illustrations and comics

“Is it possible to go beyond processing?”

In 2007, she graduated from graphic design at the Faculty of Graphic Arts of the Władysław Strzemiński Academy of Fine Arts in Łódź. She not only creates illustrations and comics but she is also the author of record covers. She has participated in many comics exhibitions, including Warsaw, Łódź, Szczecin, Athens or Stockholm.

The most important publications: “Droga teczkowa” in the “B5 – 3” anthology, Radomskie Zakłady Komiksowe “Włócznik”, 2007; “Szybki Lester – 1” (cover), story by M. Jałoszyński, art by Bizon, ATY, 2013; “Uowca – 1” (cover and art), story by Ł. Muniowski, ATY, 2013; “Benedykt Dampc vs. Pogromca Pornografów” (cover), story by J. Szyłak, art by M. Pałka, Skała/Pała, 2014; “Biały Orzeł – 9 – Królewstwo Strachu” (art), story by M. Kmiołek, Wizuale, 2015; “Kapitan Żbik – 6 – Wzywam 0‒21” (cover), story by W. Krupka, K. Pol, art by Z. Sobala, Ongrys, 2015; “Hunt” in “Polish Porno Graphics”, Planeta Komiksów, 2018.

Anna Helena Szymborska’s favourite techniques include ink, acrylic paint and pastels, although she sometimes creates her works using only digital methods. She feels equally well in both the realistic and the grotesque style, which is close to the overdrawn cartoons strokes and lies at the intersection of both styles. The expressions which describe the components of her works best include dynamic pseudo-realism or broken realism.
Owing to panels full of action and close-ups, Szymborska’s illustrations fit into the convention of the American comics about superheroes, sometimes resembling John Buscemy’s style; their dynamics brings some drawings by Enrico Marini to mind. Shared elements with socialistic-realism-style paintings may also be observed in close-ups of faces and mass depiction of characters so as to make them the most consistent with the ideas of the mass reader. Although Szymborska’s name is connected with colourful covers catching the reader’s eye, black and white comics are closer to the artist’s heart. In the images devoid of colourful spots, readers may observe the richness of applied artistic means. Illustrations, even those delicate sketches with thin lines, with almost no shadows, are very expressive and suggestive.
The artist plays with conventions by sometimes deciding to use precise and clean lines and, other times, choosing expressive strokes with blackening of a panel or constructing chiaroscuro with spots or lines. She uses onomatopoeias with characteristic typographic or spatial features, such as huge and wide letters, which fill the space of the panel like an overwhelming scream and dominate the drawing.

Anna Helena Szymborska Gallery

More information about the artist: fleshonbone.blogspot.com