Michal Batory was born in Lodz, Poland in 1929 and graduated from the Lodz School of Fine Arts. Batori immigrated to Paris in 1987 and since 1994, as a graphic designer, for the centers of various cultural institutions of the Colin National Theater, the French National Museum, the Wilt Scientific and Industrial Complex, the Pompidou Historical Center, Radio France, the Ministry of Culture, etc. He started working as a freelance graphic designer. Batory’s work as a poster designer has been published in some books, such as Polish Poster Art and Michelle Batory Emotional Graphics. Michelle Batory has won numerous awards at various international competitions, some of which can be mentioned here:
Second Prize from the Schuman International Poster Festival (France-1999)
The third prize is from the International Poster Design Biennial of Bulgaria (2001), the silver medal from the biennial of poster design in Chicago (USA-2008) and has been exhibited in various art exhibitions and forums, to name a few:
1993 – Design 70 posters honoring ordinary prisoners.
1993, work in “Editing French Characters”, England.
1994 Exhibition “Hiroshima after Mathematics” organized by the Peace Movement of France, Japan, Switzerland and the United States.
1996, Participated in the exhibition “French Designers” in Poland.
2007, “Three-year international poster” in Bulgaria.
2014, “Untitled Images” Gallery, Paris.
2016, Exhibition “250 Michelle Battery Posters” in Argentina.
2017, Michel Batury Posters Exhibition in Poland.
“My world was a world of words and books,” writes Alexandra Crowe, Michelle Batory’s sister, who writes about Michelle Batory in an article entitled “The First Steps.” While Michelle saw the world with imaginary shapes she created for herself. He saw images between the clouds and the gray sky, and between the seams of the bathroom tiles, he created animals such as snakes, giraffes, etc., and it was these images that inspired his book “Mevoir” years later.
“Michelle was always one of the weakest students in elementary school, and that worried the family, but little by little she showed her artistic talent by making wooden sculptures,” said Alexandra Crowe. When our older brother decided to go to Lodz Art School, a teacher came to our house on a weekly basis to teach art lessons, and Michelle was allowed to attend classes. Michelle then underwent major changes and began reading biographies of artists such as Michelangelo and Leonardo da Vinci. In his room, watercolor sketches could be found, and it was his early work that allowed him to take the Lodz Art School entrance exam without the need for a school agreement. From then on, there was no sign of frustration or lack of self-confidence in Michelle, as she had found her own world.
“I think Batory’s early works are less attractive than the works we see now,” says Alain Lecornes, a graphic designer and a prominent professor of French art. Today, after the experiences he has always learned from himself, he has reached a very good position to attract the audience. “The language of Batory’s work is classic with a surreal and imaginative feel, and like other Polish graphic designers, Salvador Dali’s influences can be seen in his posters.” As Batory himself says, “I have always been influenced by France, French culture, and baguette”, he has made the most creative use of this French phenomenon in the design of music concert posters and its combination with the saxophone (Figure 1). The melodious sound of slicing a baguette is a sound that is familiar and pleasant to all French people.
“Batory is not the only graphic designer who uses a combination of objects. However, it must be said that Batory’s work is specific, different, and has a purely emotional origin,” says Ellen Lecornes. Rarely present in the works of other artists. The simplicity of Baturi’s works fascinates me at first sight. The use of objects such as plastic bags, sticks, earplugs, etc. that we deal with in daily life are other reasons for this attractiveness (Figure 2).
Batory in an interview with René Vaner on his personal website in response to the question: What is your plan after retirement? “For a creative person, there will never be a pension,” he says.
1979–1985 · Studies at the Ecole Nationale des Beaux-Arts in Lodz, Poland
A graduate in graphic design, specialty displays (at the teacher Bogusław Balicki)
1986–1987 · Exchange of the Ministry of Culture and the Arts for young artists, Poland
1988–1993 · Works in graphic design agencies in Paris
Since 1994 · Independent graphic designer
• Individual exhibitions
2020 · ‘Michal Batory – RETROPERSPEKTYWA’, Lodz, Poland
2019 · Stanska Art Gallery, ‘Michal Batory – RETROPERSPEKTYWA’, Varsovie, Poland
2018 · Progress Gallery, ‘Michal Batory affiches’, Paris
2017 · University in Szczecin ‘Michal Batory posters’, Poland
2017 · Festival FINI ‘Michal Batory posters’, Pachuha, Mexique
2016 · ‘Michal Batory 250 postes’, Buenos Aires, Argentine
2016 · The Gallery Zamek, ‘Michal Batory – Retrospective’, Reszl, Poland
2016 · BUW, ‘Michal Batory & publishing house Drzewo Babel’, Warsaw, PL
2015 · Roi Doré Gallery, ‘Michal Batory 50 posters’, Paris
2015 · Michal Batory, Lublin, Poland
2014 · Michal Batory, La Puebla, Mexico
2014 · Gallery Jola Sidi, ‘Images Untitled’, Paris
2012 · The Gallery Rirreina, Image Centre, La Rambla, Barcelona
2012 · Open air Gallery Krolewskie Lazienki, Warsaw, Poland
2011 · Roi Doré Gallery, Paris
2011 · Les Arts Décoratifs, Paris
2010 · Quito, Guayaquil, Equator
2006 · Media Enghien-les-Bains, France
2006 · Laval University in Quebec, Canada
2005 · Cultural Centre in Douarnenez, France
2005 · The University of Chonching Beijing, China
2005 · Poster Museum in Wilanow, Warsaw, Poland
2004 · Anatome Gallery, Paris
2004 · FNAC St-Lazare, Paris
2000 · University of Paris X
1999 · Typografica Gallery, Brussels
1991 · ‘Mévoire’ Philippe Gallery Ghent, Paris
• Collective exhibitions
2019 · ‘POLISH LOOK‘, Tel-Aviv, Israel
2018 · ‘POLAND, A graphic revolution’, Echirolles, France
2017 · ‘La France in Taiwan, Taiwan Design Museum‘, Taiwan
2013 · ‘B & B’ with Michel Bouvet, La Paz, Bolivia
2012 · ‘Sarajevo 2014’, Sarajevo
2014 · ‘Celebrating Paris’ as part of ‘The Day Graphics’, Paris
2011 · ‘Graphics, 2000’ Bibliothèque Nationale de France, Paris
2007 · International Poster Triennial in Sophia, Bulgaria
2001 · ‘100 years of Toulouse Lautrec’, Centre Georges Pompidou, Paris
2001 · ‘20 posters for the 20th Music Day’, Centre Georges Pompidou, Paris
1998 · ‘100 years of Bertolt Brecht’, Berliner Ensemble, Berlin
1997 · ‘Spirit on’, BNF, Paris
1997 · ‘VIIIth Poster Exhibition’, The Poster Museum in Wilanow, Warsaw
1996 · ‘French Designers’ exhibition in Poland around the Poster Biennial, Warsaw, Krakow, Lodz, Wroclaw, Poznan
1994 · ‘Hiroshima after math’ exhibition organized by The Peace Movement, France, Japan, Switzerland, USA
1993 · ‘70 posters for the right to dignity of ordinary prisoners’, Centre Georges Pompidou, Paris
1993 · ‘French characters’ editing work, Glasgow, Great Britain
• Achievements
2020 · Visual Communication for ‘Scena Monopolis‘, Lodz, Poland
2018 · Poster for The National Confederation of French Bakery and Pastry, Paris
2018 · Poster for ‘Jazz Festival 2018’, Lodz, Poland
2018 · Visual Communication for Agency ‘pH6’, Paris
2018 · Visual Communication for Théâtre Elizabeth Czerczuk, Paris
2018 · Poster for expo ‘100 posters for 100 years of inedependence from Poland’, Paris
2018 · Poster for expo ‘70 years of Human Rights’, Paris
2018 · Poster for ‘Festival ARSmusica 2018’, Bruxelles, Belgium
2016 · Poster for ‘Festival ARSmusica 2016’, Bruxelles, Belgium
2013 · Visual Communication for Blanca Li, Theatre des Champs Elyses, Paris
2012 · Design of two stamps and two envelopes stamped for the Polish Post, 350,000 copies of each, Warsaw
2012 · Visual Communication Museum Krolewskie Lazienki, Warsaw, Poland
2012 · Visual Communication for the Ballets de Monte Carlo, Monaco
2011 · Visual Communication for Theatre du Peuple Bussang
2010 · Visual Communication for the Drawing Room, Paris
2009 · Visual Communication for the Opera Nova, Bydgoszcz, Poland
2009 · Festival ‘in Paris every letter’ poster and Communication, Paris
2006 · Creation of the graphic line for the Forum Les Halles, Paris
2005 · Creation of the graphic line for CDA95, Enghien-les-Bains
2004 · Completion of the book ‘150 Years of Advertising’ for UCAD
2004 · Completion of the book ‘Pictures click and pigeon flies!’, Dessain and Tolra editions
2002 · Exhibition Graphics ‘Victor Hugo, Luxembourg walker’, Senat / BNF, Paris
2001–2008 · Creation of the graphic design (posters, publications) for the National Theatre of Chaillot, Paris
2001–2003 · Posters for Arsenal, Metz
2001 · Creation of three CD collections for Radio France
2000 · Visual communication (poster, invitation) for the exhibition ‘Living Nature’, MNHN, Paris
2000 · Graphics exhibition ‘100 Years of the Subway’ and its graphic line (posters, publications) House of the RATP, Paris
1999 · Graphic Line (posters, publications, press) for Marne Festival
1999 · Graphic Line (posters, publications, press) for the event ‘Time of Change’ of CNMHS, Paris
1999 · Graphics of the exhibition ‘The Page’, BNF, Paris
1998 · Graphic Line (posters, publications, CD) to the Festival ‘Agora 1998’, IRCAM / Théâtre des Bouffes du Nord, Paris
1997 · Visual Communication of the exhibition ‘La Serre, Future Garden’ at the Museum of Science and Industry, La Villette, Paris
1997 · Visual Communication exhibition ‘distinguished Letters” at the Postal Museum, Paris
1997 · Graphic design and visual communication of the exhibition ‘New image, new networks’ at the Museum of Science and Industry, La Villette, Paris
1996 · Creation of the book ‘Read IRCAM’ (the history of IRCAM)
1996 · Creation of the graphic line (posters, publications, CD) to IRCAM and the Ensemble Intercontemporain
1995 · Start of collaboration with the publishing house Drzewo Babel (Book covers, visual communication), Warsaw, Poland
1995 · Production of a book ‘The profession guide, for young graduates’ for Larousse editions
1995 · Implementation of several brochures for the Centre Georges Pompidou
1997 · Creation of the graphic line (posters, publications) for the National Theatre on the Hill
1995 · Graphics exhibition ‘Space’ at the Museum of Science and Industry, La Villette, Paris
1994 · Graphics of the exhibition ‘The silver wire’ at the Museum of Science and Industry, La Villette, Paris
• Price
2019 · Ird price at the International Competition for the poster ‘Gombrowicz‘, Radom, Poland
2010 · Award at International Poster Biennial, Mexico for the poster of the book ‘The Winner of Solitude’
2008 · IIIrd Biennial International Poster price, Mexico to show ‘Piano Follies’
2008 · Silver Medal at the International Poster Biennial, Chicago, USA, for the show ‘Piano Follies’
2004 · Ist prize at the International Festival of Chaumont, poster for the show ‘PowerBook’ Chaumont
2001 · IIIrd prize for displays ‘Agora’ at the International Poster Triennial, Sophia, Bulgaria
1999 · IInd prize at the International Festival of Chaumont, poster for the poster IRCAM-EIC
1998 · National Grand Prize of the Cultural Displays, France, for the poster ‘The Leningrad Headquarters’
1998 · IIIrd prize in ‘Childhood is not a child’s play’, the Poster Museum in Essen, Germany
1996 · Chaumont Poster Festival, audience prize for the poster ‘The woman on the bed’
• Exposure Commissioner
2014 · JanPing He and U.G. Sato at Open air Gallery Krolewskie Lazienki, Warsaw, Poland
2013 · Michel Bouvet and Alain Le Quernec at Open air Gallery Krolewskie Lazienki Warsaw, Poland
• Bibliography
2018 · Publication in the book ‘Art of Polish Poster’, BOSZ, Poland
2018 · Publication in the book ‘The Best Polish Illustrators’, SLOW, Poland
2018 · Publication in the book ‘Head to toe’, Mirko Ilic & Steven Heller, New York,USA
2015 · Publication in the book ‘Presenting Shakespeare’, Mirko Ilic & Steven Heller, New York,USA
2015 · VeryGraphic, ‘Polish designers of the XX century’, Instytut Adama Mickiewicza, Warsaw
2008 · ‘Michal Batory, emotional Graphics’ Drzewo Babel Publishing, Warsaw
2006 · Reproductions work in ‘Expose – Anatome Gallery, Graphic Design’, Panama Editions, Paris
2004 · Monograph ‘Michal Batory, posters & graphic works’, Editions Serge Malik ID
2003 · Publishing Monograph ‘Michal Batory’, Publishing Jamping Hy, Berlin, distribution in China
2002 · Interview and reproductions in ‘Graphics French’, KAK, Moscow, Russia
1998 · The interview, coverage and the poster, in No. 40 of the journal ‘graphic Steps’
1996 · Biographical Portrait in the ‘International Dictionary of the applied arts and design’, Editions du Regard, Paris
1996 · Interview and reproductions in No. 15/16 of ‘Signs’
