Péter Pócs (born 14 September 1950) is a Hungarian graphic designer and poster artist.
Life
Pócs was born in Pécs on 14 September 1950. He studied at the Art School of Pécs to become a metalworker and earned his high school diploma there in 1971. He began working as a graphic designer in 1972, creating theatre, exhibition and festival posters, and broadening his repertoire with political and social ones from 1989. His sole commercial client was cheese salesman, Tamás T. Nagy, and his mentors were Henryk Tomaszewski, Waldemar Świerzy and György Konecsni. Pócs later earned his university diploma in product design at the University of West Hungary in 2010. His posters of unique, molded, painted clay structures are unmistakable. He often participates in international poster symposiums and regularly shows his works at international exhibitions, biennials and triennials. He founded DOPP Artist Group in 1987, and has been working in his studio, POSTER'V Design since 1991. He also co-founded the Hungarian Poster Association in 2004, of which he was the first president until leaving, then launched his "Hungarian Poster Loneliness Association" in 2008, of which he is a "forever member".
Family
Pócs's parents were Margit Paál (Kisgalambfalva, 1917–1971) and Ferenc Pócs (Bánffyhunyad, 1910–1971). His wife is Judit Galambos. Pócs also has three children: Eszter Pócs, graphic designer (1974–), Judit Pócs, designer (1976–) and Lukács Pócs (2011–).
Quotes
"Posters dress the street."
"The traditional role of poster art was reevaluated by the end of the 20th century. With the popularity of radio, television and internet, posters became less significant, however, they still have a raison d'être and are indeed relevant, irrevocably standing out among ads encouraging consumption. They moved to illegality (exhibition spaces) to spread their message about cultural and social issues."
"'POSTERS' – as opposed to commercial and gigantic ads, which are mostly about money and power – are not about marketing. Their main purpose beyond aesthetics is thought provoking. The poster designer raises an issue, to which the viewer has to find the answer."
"Poster in fine art is music. A poster designer is humane and acts as the consciousness of the present; solves issues, tasks, gives visual answers to verbal questions and pictures the unspeakable. Posters begin where words end. Alas, poster is a metaphor."
"Posters are my quick and current visual messages about personal thoughts and feelings. They are a part of my endless dialogue with the world. I am my posters."
"Posters are 'of the moment', quick to lose their relevance. However, great posters will forever keep their artistic value. They document our times."
Other facts
In 1993 his poster "2nd Animation Festival of Kecskemét" was included in the "100 best posters of Europe and the US between 1945 and 1990" exhibition and publication.
In 2009 his poster series for Tamás T. Nagy won the 5 Star Award at the Osaka International Poster Triennial.
In 2022 he became a senior member of the Fine Arts department of Széchenyi Academy of Literature and Arts.
Works
Jelentősebb önálló kiállítások
1985 – Duna Gallery, Budapest
1987 – Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam
1987 – Academy of Fine Art, Stuttgart
1987 – Dorottya Street Exhibition Space, Budapest
1987 – Poster Museum, (DOPP), Lahti (SF)
1988 – Town Hall Gallery, Castelmoron-d'Albret
1989 – Burg Gallery, Halle
1990 – Pécs Gallery, Pécs
1990 – Vigadó Gallery, Budapest
1992 – La Grange de Dorigny, Lausanne
1992 – Obenbare Bibliothek, Amsterdam
1994 – Frontenac Gallery, Montreal
1994 – Jan Koniarek Gallery, Trnava
1994 – Piccolo Teatro Perempruner, Turin
1994 – Painters' Hall, Sopron
1995 – House of Art, Szekszárd
1996 – Knights' Hall of Gyula Castle, Gyula
1996 – Ginza Graphic Art Gallery (DOPP), Tokyo
1997 – Haus Ungarn, Berlin
1997 – City Cultural Center, Szolnok
1997 – György Konecsni Museum, Kiskunmajsa
1998 – Palace of Culture, Târgu Mureș
1999 – Pod Jaszczurami, Kraków
2000 – Haus Ungarn, Prague
2000 – PSVMK Gallery, Győr
2001 – Town Gallery, Štúrovo
2001 – Komédium Theater, Budapest
2001 – Danish Poster Museum, Aarhus
2001 – Casa del Poeta, Mexico City
2002 – Polish Institute, Budapest
2002 – Universidad La Salle DF, Mexico City
2002 – Casa de Cultura del Ayuntamiento Metepec, Edo. de Mexico
2002 – Universidad Autónoma de Guanajuato, Guanajuato
2003 – Hegyvidéki Contemporary Gallery, Budapest
2003 – Søndermølle, Viborg
2003 – Salas del exConvento del Carmen, Guadalajara
2003 – Instituto de Artes Plásticas U.V., Xalapa
2003 – Town Hall Gallery, Castelmoron d'Albret
2003 – The Croat Theater, Pécs
2004 – Vaerket, Randers
2004 – Gallery "Maysterina", Kyiv
2006 – Budapest Gallery, Budapest
2006 – University Gallery, Xalapa
2009 – Town Hall (Ducki, Orosz, Pócs), Aarhus
2009 – Stifts Museum (Ducki, Orosz, Pócs), Viborg
2011 – Museion No. 1, Budapest
2013 – Gheorghe Sincai County Library, Oradea
2014 – National Gallery of Arts, Tirana
2014 – 13th International Image Festival, Manizales
2016 – National Gallery of Kosovo, Pristina
2022 – Fészek Gallery, Budapest
2023 – National Art Academy, Sofia
2023 – National Art Academy, Burgas
Workshops, talks
1987 – Academy of Fine Art, Stuttgart
2001 – Casa del Poeta, Mexico City
2002 – San Luis Potosí University – Facultad de Hábitat, San Luis Potosí
2002 – 20th International Graphic Arts Biennial, Brno
2002 – Moholy-Nagy University, Budapest
2003 – ITEMS, Guadalajara
2003 – Académico, Fac. de Artes Plásticas, Xalapa
2004 – ESAG, Paris
2009 – Art Academy, Osaka
2010 – University of West-Hungary, Sopron
2011 – School of Arts, Design and Architecture, Helsinki
2013 – Academy of Arts, Sofia
2014 – National Gallery of Arts, Tirana
2015 – Skopje Poster Festival, Skopje
2023 – National Art Academy, Sofia
2023 – National Art Academy, Burgas
2023 – College of National Arts, Plovdiv
Jury member
1994 – 2nd International Poster Triennial, Trnava
2002 – XX. International Graphics Biennial, Brno
2002 – International Poster Biennial, Mexico City
2003 – International Theater Poster Biennial, Rzeszów
2004 – ESAG, Paris
2011 – XVIII. International Poster Biennial, Lahti
2013 – 7th International Triennial of Stage Poster, Sofia (BG)
2015 – Skopje Poster Festival, Skopje
2021 – I. International Poster Art Biennial, Seoul
Díjak, elismerések
1982 – 1st prize, Best Posters of the Year, Hungarian National Gallery, Budapest
1983 – Gold Medal, International Movie Poster Exhibition, Chicago
1983 – Award of Excellence, Best Posters of the Year, Hungarian National Gallery, Budapest
1983 – Studio Award, FKS, Ernst Museum, Budapest
1984 – Youth Award, Intergrafik '84, Berlin
1984 – Award of Excellence, Best Posters of the Year, Hungarian National Gallery, Budapest
1984 – Studio Award, FKS, Ernst Museum, Budapest
1984 – Award, County Graphics Exhibition, Kecskemét
1984 – 2nd prize, New Print, Hungarian National Gallery, Budapest
1985 – Award of Excellence, Best Posters of the Year, Hungarian National Gallery, Budapest
1986 – Bronze medal, International Poster Biennial, Brno
1986 – Main Award, Best Posters of the Year, Hungarian National Gallery, Budapest
1986 – Special award, The Hollywood Reporter, International Movie Poster Exhibition, Hollywood
1986 – Award of Excellence, Best Posters of the Year, Hungarian National Gallery, Budapest
1987 – Special Award, The Hollywood Reporter, International Movie Poster Exhibition, Hollywood
1988 – Silver medal, The Art Directors Club Winners 67th Annual Awards and 2nd Annual International Exhibition, New York City
1988 – Main Award, Best Posters of the Year, Hungarian National Gallery, Budapest
1988 – Special Award, International Poster Biennial, Warsaw
1988 – Zycie Warszawy Award, International Poster Biennial, Warsaw
1988 – Special Award, National Graphics Biennial, Békéscsaba
1989 – Jules Cheret Award, International Movie Poster Exhibition, Annecy
1989 – First Prize, International Salon of Photography, Kalisz
1989 – Award of Excellence, Ministry of Culture, Budapest
1992 – EPICA Award (Europe's Best Advertising) Paris
1993 – Special Award, Cresta Awards, New York
1994 – Master's Eye Award, International Poster Triennial, Trnava
1996 – Special Award, International Poster Exhibition, Fort Collins
1997 – Mihály Munkácsy Award, Budapest
1997 – Four bronze medals, 9th Annual Dimensional Art Directors and Illustrators Award Show, New York
2000 – Silver medal, International Poster Biennial, Mexico
2002 – Bronze medal, International Poster Biennial, Seoul
2009 – Culture Minister's Award, XIX. International Humour and Satire Biennial, Gabrovo
2009 – 5 Stars Award, International Poster Triennial, Osaka
2022 – 1st Prize, Pristina International Poster Festival, Pristina
Scholarship
1992 – Hungarian Academy, Rome
Publications
Books
1990 – Bakos – Hegyi – Ducki: Pócs Plakátok, Zrínyi Kiadó, Budapest, ISBN 963-02-7895-2
2000 – Pócs Péter: UNITED COLORS OF HUNG(A)RY, Poster'V. Design Studio, Budapest
2000 – Pócs Péter: Magyar Millennium, Poster'V. Design Studio, Budapest
2001 – Sveistrup Jensen – Strougård – Piippo: Posters from Hungary, Poster'V. Design Studio, Budapest ISBN 963-00-7679-9
2002 – Pócs Péter: (H)ARCOK, Poster'V. Design Studio, Budapest, ISBN 963-204-136-4
2003 – Fitz – Bermúdez – Parti Nagy – Walton – Szakolczay – Hegyi: PÓCS – PLAKÁTOK – 2003 – 1977, Poster'V. Design Studio, Budapest, ISBN 963-212-056-6
2004 – Irena Veshtak-Ostromenskaja: 50 Posters by Péter Pócs, Hungary; Poster'V. Design Studio, Budapest ISBN 963-216-553-5
2009 – Hansen – Nyholm – Ducki – Orosz – Pócs: Magyar Karma, Poster'V. Design Studio, Gozo, Malta ISBN 978-963-06-7897-1
2014 – Shabani – Fitz – Tërshana – Loesch – Ljubicic – Piippo – Bundi – Drewinski: Posters and Ideas, National Gallery of Arts, Tirana ISBN 978-99943-977-4-7
2016 – Gjikola – Maliqi: 3P3D, Péter Pócs Posters, Biblioteka Kombetare, Pristine ISBN 978-9951-587-58-7
Selected articles
1982 – P. Szabó Erno: Pócs Péter, Muvészet (H) 1982/5.
1983 – Husz Mária: Pócs Péter plakátjai, Muvészet, (H) 1983/6.
1986 – Borzák Tinor: A jó plakát: váratlan pofon, Új Tükör, (H) 1986/47.
1987 – P. Szucs Julianna: Bele a képünkbe, Pócs Péter plakátjai a Dorottya utcai Galériában, Népszabadság, Budapest (H), 1987. április 29.
1987 – Buda Ferenc: Kötésen át két szem figyel: Pócs Péter plakátjai, Forrás, 19. évf. 11.sz. (H)
1988 – Ligeti Nagy Tamás.: Én megcsinálom, o betiltja, mi nem látjuk, (H) Reform,1988/8.
1989 – Koloh Elek: Egérfogó fogta csillag (H) 1989/165.
1990 – Margaret Timmers: Posters of Freedom, EYE, London (GB), 1990/1
1990 – Gianfranco Torri: In manifesto senza publicitá, Linea Grafica, Milano (I), 1990/5
1990 – Graphic Design in East Europe, IDEA Special Issue, (JP), 1990/6
1990 – FrankJános: Egy pamfletista – Pócs Péter; Vigadó Galéria (Budapest) Élet és irodalom, 34. évf. 44. sz. (H) 1990.nov. 2.
1990 – Bakos Katalin: A változás jelei (Plakátok 1988 – 1990), Magyar Nemzeti Galéria,Budapest (H), HU ISSN 0231-2387
1991 – Szakolczay Lajos: Gúny, öngúny, világmagyarázat – Pócs Péter plakátjai, Kortárs, 35. évf. 10. Sz. (H)
1992 – Art as Activist (Revolutionary Posters of Central and Eastern Europe), Universe Publishing, New York (USA), ISBN 0-87663-623-7
1992 – Dana Bartelt: Art as Activist (Revolutionary Posters of Central and Eastern Europe), Communication Arts, (USA), January/February 1992
1993 – Graphic Design of the World, Vol. 1, Kodansha, (JP), ISBN 4-06-205144-3
1993 – The 100 Best Posters from Europe and the United States 1945 – 1990, Toppan Printing Co., Ltd. Tokyo (JP)
1993 – Liz McQuiston: Graphic Agitation (Social and Political Graphics since the Sixties), Phaidon Press Ltd., London (GB), ISBN 0-7148-2878-5
1993 – Europe without Walls (Art, Posters and Revolution 1989 – 93), edited by: James Aulich and Tim Wilcox, Manchester City Art Galleries, (GB), ISBN 0-901673-44-7
1994 – Kozák Csaba: Pócsul gondolkodni, Reklám és Grafika, Budapest (H), 1994/2
1995 – Bakos Katalin: Musen und kanonen (Ungarische Plakatkunst der Gegenwart), Museum für Kunst und Gewerbe, Hamburg (GER)
1996 – Jean-Luc Galus, Laure Vitrac, Christine Williame: Le Francais en Bac Pro / Textes et méthodes, Nathan (FR)
1997 – Kozák Csaba: Pócs Péter tervezo grafikusmuvész, Magyar Iparmuvészet, Budapest (H), 1997/2
1998 – Margaret Timmers: The Power of the Posters, Victoria and Albert Museum London (GB), ISBN 1-85177-240-5
1998 – Eve M. Kahn: A Woman's Leg, a Kitchen Floor, a Cheese, Print, (USA) March /April 1998
2000 – James Aulich and Marta Sylvestrová: Political Posters in Central and Eastern Europe 1945 – 95 (Signs of the Times), Manchester University Press, (GB), ISBN 0-7190-5418-4, and 0-7190-5419-2
2001 – Anthon Beeke – Alain Weil – Daniéle Devynck: Le Nouveau Salon des Cent, (Exposition International d'affiches), Editions Odyssée, (FR), ISBN 2-909478-13-0
2001 – Kortárs Magyar Muvészeti Lexikon, Enciklopédia Kiadó, Budapest (H), ISBN 963-8477-46-6
2002 – Kozák Csaba: Alátét, Orpheusz Kiadó, Budapest (H), ISBN 963-9377-29-5
2002 – My Poster I am, Package Design, Peking (CN), ISSN 1007-4759
2002 – Parti Nagy Lajos: A vizuális egérfogó, Élet és Irodalom, Budapest (H), 2002 október 4.
2002 – Xavier Bermúdez: Péter Pócs, Lúdica, Mexikóváros (MEX), 2002 December
2004 – Péter Pócs, PISO 04, Guadalajara (MEX)
2005 – Milton Glaser – Mirko Ilic: The design of Dissent, Rockport Publishers, New York (USA)
2005 – Jianping He: All men are brothers, Hesing, Shanghai + Berlin (PRC+D) ISBN 3-9810544-0-7
2006 – Milton Glaser – Mirko Ilic: The design of Dissent, Editorial Gustavo Gili, SA, Barcelona (ES) ISBN 978-84-252-2076-0, and 84-252-2076-9
2006 – Lajos Lóska: Plakátharsonák, Új Muvészet, 05 / 06, Budapest (H)
2006 – 1956 on posters, Hungarian Poster Association, Budapest (H) ISBN 963-06-1116-3
2008 – Dimitris Arvanitis: Péter Pócs (One of the Last Poster Maniac Artist), Adobe 5 / 08, Athens (GK)
2008 – Péter Pócs: Poster is me, New Graphic, 16 / 08, Nanjing (PRC)
2008 – From the end of 1900s to the beginning of the XXI century, Trama Visual, México (MEX)
2009 – The letters of Bulgaria alphabet of Europe, ITOSP, Sofia, 2009 (BG)
2009 – Humour (Posters from around the world), Kunstmuseum, Cottbus ISBN 978-3-928696-94-4 (GER)
2009 – World of Posters Danish Poster Museum, Århus (DK) ISBN 87-90552-21-0
2009 – Lars Dybdahl: The Global Poster, Nyt Nordisk Forlag Arnold Busck, Copenhagen (DK) ISBN 978-87-17-04058-8
2013 – Aladár Szilágyi: “Posters start when words end.” Distance talk with Péter Pócs poster designer living in Tirana, Várad, 12 / 07, Oradea (RO)
2015 – Art dhe veprimtari në GKA, Galeria Kombëtare e Arteve, Tiranë (AL)
2015 – Sümegi: Posters of 1956. (1956–2006), Corvina Publishing House, Budapest (H) ISBN 978-963-13-6297-8
2015 – Mónika Zombori: Exhibitions of the Studio in the mirror of contemporaneous documents,(3rd part: the Eighties), Artmagazin, 2015/10, Budapest (H) ISSN 1785-3060 2015 – György Sümegi: Posters of Péter Pócs about 1956 (Each one has a wholesome story), Muérto October/2015, Budapest (H) ISSN 1419-0567