During the 1970s, many East European citizens dreamed of going West. Behind the Curtain is an autobiographical account of two young art students who travelled the other way. Studying and working in Poland, they found themselves part of a vibrant community producing visionary work across the arts – even as prices rocketed, trade unions drove social unrest and, finally, tanks appeared in the streets.
A unique collaboration interweaving two distinctive styles, Behind the Curtain combines life, art and politics to reveal the cultural environment that flourished despite the harsh realities of the Communist state. When toilet paper is worth its weight in gold, what price do you put on expression?
A unique collaboration interweaving two distinctive styles, Behind the Curtain combines life, art and politics to reveal the cultural environment that flourished despite the harsh realities of the Communist state. When toilet paper is worth its weight in gold, what price do you put on expression?
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Andrzej Klimowski
Andrzej Klimowski studied at St Martin's School of Art in London and at the Warsaw Academy of Fine Arts. He has designed posters for theatres and film distributors in Poland, and book covers and illustrations for publishers in the UK. He is the author (with Danusia Schejbal) of Behind the Curtain, The Master and Margarita, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde and Robot. His own graphic novels include The Depository, The Secret and Horace Dorlan. Klimowski is Emeritus Professor at the Royal College of Art.
Danusia Schejbal
Danusia Schejbal was born in London. After studying fashion and textiles at the Ealing School of Art, she gained a postgraduate degree in stage design at the Warsaw Academy of Fine Arts. She worked for major theatres in Poland before returning to the UK and designing for The Cherub Company. Since then, she has worked as a painter, exhibiting in the UK and Europe. She has collaborated with Andrzej Klimowski on the graphic novels Robot, The Master and Margarita, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde and Behind the Curtain.
Reviews
"Behind the Curtain's poignancy comes from the sense that what feels ordinary now is often built on brave or desperate acts of the past."
— New Statesman