The Monolith that is the Polish Dance Theatre 1973 – 2018 holds within almost 700 photographs documenting the history and evolution of the art, spanning over a period of 45 years. Two versions of the publication were produced, one smaller and simpler in form, addressed to a wider audience, printed on eco-friendly paper and for the most part in one color. The larger, second version, is a polar opposite, utilizing almost 20 different papers, each reflecting the specific character of the photographs printed on them. The publication is not only a look into the past of Polish dance theatre but a prime specimen of a beautifully designed and meticulously executed publication. 
The creatives who contributed to the publication
The book is designed by Ryszard Bienert, an accomplished graphic designer who runs the 3group graphic studio in Poznań, Poland. With a focus on visual identification, books, art, and photography publications, Bienert collaborates with numerous publishing houses and cultural institutions (PWN, WAB, PGS in Sopot, MS in Łódź, Centrum Kultury ZAMEK in Poznań, Piekary Gallery) and has been awarded in Poland and abroad by European Design Awards, PTWK – Most Beautiful Book, Festival Mesiac, to only name a few.
Some of the photographs displayed in the book are taken by Andrzej Grabowski – a set designer, theatre and advertising photographer and portraitist. He is the creator of two dynamically working studios: advertising photography studio and design studio HolinDesign. He has been photographing the expressions of the body, body in motion and dance for almost 30 years, and among the theatres he collaborates with are the Polish Dance Theatre from Poznan, Grand Theatre in Poznan, Teatr Nowy in Poznan, Polish Theatre in Poznan and Movements Factory.
Introducing a broad perspective on the perception of dance, going beyond the contemporary discourses on the phenomenon
The Polish Dance Theatre 1973 – 2018 book breaks the traditional formula of the rare publication, introducing a broad perspective on the perception of dance, going beyond the contemporary discourses on the phenomenon. This is done through texts from various authors, and specialists from various artistic and research areas, from humanities to exact sciences.
The use of various theoretical and interpretative tools has resulted in an extremely different, often surprising approach to dance, which can be a reference point for future researchers. In addition, the bilingual volume (in Polish and English), gained a unique editorial value, as the whole publication took the form of a kinetic sculpture, symbolically referring to the efforts of the Polish Dance Theatre to obtain its own space.
The Polish Dance Theatre 1973 – 2018 utilizes almost 20 different papers, each reflecting the specific character of the photographs printed on them. The publication is not only a look into the past of Polish dance theatre but a prime specimen of a beautifully designed and meticulously executed publication.
The book utilizes numerous printing techniques, as well as various special papers, including Remake Sand, Via Felt Jute, Via Felt Flax, Bindakote, GardaPat 13 Kiara, Via Felt Pure White, Galaxy Metallic Smooth Vanilla cream, and Flue Poster Orange, all exclusively available at Europapier. The book is printed with offset printing, with six additional Pantone colors, including metallic and fluorescent colors, the hardback cover is made of canvas and two types of PVC artificial leather, refined with hot stamping technique in metallic gold and silver foil.
Images © Andrzej Grabowski