Works by Rafał Olbiński are full of fairy-tale-like symbols and hidden meanings. He was awarded with over 100 prizes for his surrealistic works, for example he won the "New York City Capital of the World" competition. At the exhibition in the Opera House in Tel Aviv, open from 9 January to 28 February 2009, an incredible collection of his opera posters is available on display.




The opening: 8 January at 6.45 pm. During the event, opera arias will be performed by soloists from the opera studio by the Israeli Opera.
Foyer Opera House





Rafal Olbinski
In 1969 he graduated in architecture from the Warsaw University of Technology. In 1981 he left for USA where he quickly earned the position of an acknowledged illustrator and painter. For his works he was awarded altogether over 100 awards, including gold and silver medals from the prestigious Society of Illustrators and The Art Directors Club in New York and Los Angeles. The year 1994 brought him the International Oscar for the World’s Most Memorable Poster, the Parisian Prix Savignac and the Creative Review Award in London for the Best British Illustration. In 1995 his poster was awarded in the New York Capital of the World competition under the auspices of the mayor Rudolf Giuliani. In 1996 he won the Steven Dohanos Prize awarded by the members of the Society of Illustrators to the best work of the year.





His paintings are a part of many important collections, among others the National Arts Club in New York, the Smithsonian Institute, Library of Congress in Washington and the Suntory Museum in Osaka, as well as in private collections and in the hands of international corporations in the United States, South America, Japan and Europe. His works were featured on the covers of Time, Newsweek and Der Spiegel. He also designs for such important institutions as the US Trust Bank, American Airlines, New York City Opera, Cincinnati Opera and the Opera Company in Philadelphia. In 1996 and in 2000 he designed posters for the 25th and 30th Earth Day. In 2002 a selection of his posters and paintings were exhibited at the Grand Central Station in New York alongside works by Keith Haring, Roy Lichtenstein, Robert Rauschenberg and Andy Warhol. The artistic oeuvre of Olbiński was presented in many popular and specialist publications around the world, including featured articles in Communication Art, The World & I Magazine and Open Now Magazine.

"(...) [Olbiński] creates his own rules; his subtle balancing of solidarity and lightness, transparency and line, volume and scale, make us embark on a fabulous journey." (Richard Wilde)

More on the website:www.poland-israel.org