I specialize in press illustration. I usually deal with social, psychological or new media issues. I also design posters and covers.
My works have been awarded in the prestigious Taschen album “Illustration Now, vol. 5”, presenting the profiles of 150 of the most interesting contemporary illustration artists in the world.
For the poster “Russian bear” I received a special award – CRAFT OF THE YEAR (Klub Twórców Reklamy 2022).
Paweł Jońca is a leading Polish illustrator and poster artist. There is probably no creator today who would look into ourselves, our heads and the spirit of contemporary society more accurately and intimately. His fantastic posters form a silent graphic series we are viewers of. And this is a series about us – about our dreams, challenges, fears and hopes.
Jońca looks at us in the most private moments, when we think that nobody is really watching. And he does in a unique style – he tells with a strong, even ostentatious line and juicy, even “squeezed” colors. Comic book characters appear in frames like from an artistic animation, where everything is contractual, where everything is “more” and where, like children with their mouths open, we let ourselves be surprised and we wait for more surprises. Jońca plays with space, perspective and composition – each time he tests our vigilance and readiness for a different look. It draws us into visual and semantic rebuses in which it is not the fun itself that counts, but the punch line.
His illustrations appear in major magazines (“Przekrój”, “Newsweek”, “Wysokie Obcasy Extra”, “Zwierciadło” or “Znak”) and illustrate the most demanding topics. Awarded all over the world, cooperating with big brands such as Apple or Biedronka, he continues to experiment and search. Interestingly, he is – in the best sense of the word – conservative in this search. Because on the one hand, his posters are devastatingly attractive, colorful, contemporary, and on the other, in an inexpressible way, classic. As if taken from the songs of the Kabaret Starszych Panów (popular TV show from the 50-60′) – inventive, charming and classy. You can see distance, humor and reflection in them.
Paweł Jońca’s posters stay in the mind. It is impossible to unstick or polish them. You can be sure – this is a warning – that some of the illustrations created by him will capture your associations forever and – once again, we warn you! – you will think and see Jonca.
– Paweł Stremski, Targi Rzeczy Ładnych
Clients
Apple
Architektura Murator
Biedronka
Courrier International
Crido
Davidson Consulting
DATUM
Duży Format
EURO RSCG
Fontlab
Forbes Women
Harvard Business Review
Hemisphères
ING Bank Śląski
Instytut Adama Mickiewicza
Johns Hopkins Health Review
Kulczyk Silverstein Properties
LABEL Magazine
Malemen
McCann Erickson
Media & Marketing Polska
Nature
New Scientist
Newsweek
Niebieska Studnia
Oprah magazine
PANI
Pismo
Polkomtel
Playboy
Prudential
Przekrój
Salon
Sukces
Technologist
Teatr 6. piętro
The Hollywood Reporter
Wprost
Wysokie Obcasy Extra
Wysokie Obcasy
Znak
Zwierciadło
Awards
2022 (10) – CRAFT OF THE YEAR in KTR 2022 for „Russian bear”.
2022 (10) – Gold award in KTR 2022 in “non-commercial illustration” category for „Russian bear”.
2022 (06) – Honorable Mention (Graphic Design Awards 2021) in “Poster” category for the poster “Koncertówka” for Łódź Design Festival.
2022 (06) – Honorable Mention (Polish Graphic Design Awards 2021) in “Poster” category for the poster „Cukier Żre/Sugar sucks” for Fundacji Najsłodsi.
2021 (06) – Main Prize (Polish Graphic Design Awards 2020) in Press Illustration category for the „The last human” illustration (Wysokie Obcasy Extra 10/2020).
2021 (06) – Honorable Mention (Polish Graphic Design Awards 2020) in Press Illustration category for „Imagination” (Zwierciadło 2/2020) and “Minimalism” illustrations (Zwierciadło 8/2020).
2021 (06) – Honorable Mention (Polish Graphic Design Awards 2020) in Advertising Illustration category for the cartoon series “Life in quarantine”.
2018 (12) – Project Of The Year Award in Collaboration category for the campaign “Biedronka smakuje domem” (Biedronka tastes home).
2018 (05) – Gold award from Klub Twórców Reklamy (Advertising Creators Club, KTR) in “Illustration/Print Advertising” category for the campaign “Biedronka smakuje domem” (Biedronka tastes home).
2017 (12) – “Book of the year 2017 / Graphical award” for “The ABC of Polish design” (Ilustrowany elementarz polskiego designu) by Polish Section of IBBY.
2016 (05) – Gold award from Klub Twórców Reklamy (Advertising Creators Club, KTR) in “Advertising Illustration” category for a poster “Polish Design”.
2016 (05) – Silver award from Klub Twórców Reklamy (Advertising Creators Club, KTR) in “Press Illustration” category for a set of illustration for Zwierciadło magazine.
2011 (05) – GrandFront 2011 award. III place in “professional magazines” category for a cover illustration in Architektura magazine, issue 07/2010.
2011 (04) – Gold award from Klub Twórców Reklamy (Advertising Creators Club, KTR) in “Portfolio” category.
2011 (04) – Bronze award from Klub Twórców Reklamy (Advertising Creators Club, KTR) in “press illustration” category.
2009 (10) – Silver Chimera 2009 award w kategorii Portfolio.
2006 (12) – Galeria Plakatu AMS. Award in 6th edition of Galeria Plakatu AMS (AMS Poster Gallery).
2005 (09) – Chimera 2005 award in “Portfolio” category for an illustration in Media & Marketing Polska magazine.
2004 (03) – Chimera 2004 award in “Portfolio” category for a set of illustration in MacMag magazine.
Exhibitions
Independence. Artworks for Ukraine – collective exhibition.
19.09-30.09.2022, Midori-So Gallery, Bakuroyokoyama Tokyo, Japan.
Plakat wisi – Polish poster exhibition – collective exhibition.
1.09.2022—28.02.2023, Stary Browar, Poznań/Poland
UWIKŁANI W TEKST. ILUSTRACJA PRASOWA – collective exhibition.
October 26 – November 11, 2018, Galeria Biała / Centrum Kultury w Lublinie, Lublin/Poland.
Ilustracja PL 2012: O-KUPOWAĆ – collective exhibition.
May 17–27, 2012, Soho Factory, ul. Mińska 25, Warszawa/Poland.
NOWY CHAOS współczesna polska ilustracja – collective exhibition.
Artworks of ILLO artists + guests.
October 10–30, 2011, Katowice/Poland.
All Play No Work – collective exhibition. Artworks of ILLO artists.
August 25 – September 2, 2011, Berlin/Germany.
Ilustracja 2010 – collective exhibition.
Exhibition of 80 polish artists.
April 21 – May 16, 2010, Warszawa/Poland.
11. Kino na granicy – individual exhibition.
Exhibition accompanying the film festival “Kino na granicy” (“Cinema on the Border”)
April 28 – May 3, 2009, Cieszyn/Poland.
Press room
Contemporary Lynx – about the “Life in Quarantine” cartoon series.
New Polish Design (PL) – about my posters for Biedronka
Culture.pl (PL)
Niezła Sztuka (PL)
Designextent (PL)
10 tysięcy – Paweł Jońca, artysta ilustrator o zasięgu globalnym (PL)