Discovering 'For External Use': Graphics in the Pharmaceutical Industry 1960–1980 Exhibition at Antonina Leśniewska Museum

This exhibition showcases a previously unseen collection of leaflets and drug catalogs designed for the pharmaceutical industry between 1960 and 1980. Despite their purely informational function, these prints echo the style of the Polish Poster School, exhibiting a high artistic quality. The exhibition delves into the evolving role of the pharmaceutical industry and the changing nature of traditional pharmacies.

The exhibition "For External Use. Graphics in the Pharmaceutical Industry 1960–1980" presents a collection of pharmaceutical drug leaflets and catalogs, many displayed for the first time. These prints, created for the burgeoning Polish pharmaceutical industry of the 1960s and 1970s, not only served an informational purpose but also displayed a high artistic standard, echoing the aesthetic of the Polish Poster School. The exhibition highlights how these materials were used to promote domestic drugs, particularly antibiotics, to doctors, aiming to build the image of modern and competent producers. The designs employed various visual strategies, such as the use of color blocks, simple graphic motifs, photograms, and collage, to convey the function and therapeutic effects of specific medications, illustrating abstract concepts like pain relief or sedative actions through visual language. Notable designers like Maciej Hibner and Jerzy Treutler contributed to this field, though many authors remain unidentified. The exhibition contextualizes these graphic works within a historical period of significant industrial growth and a shift towards mass production in the pharmaceutical sector, illustrating a search for new communication languages beyond the traditional pharmacy setting. Beyond their artistic merit, these printed materials, distributed in thousands of copies to clinics, symposia, and conferences, represent high-level design work. The exhibition draws attention to the artistic quality of these projects and the historical moment when pharmaceutical production evolved from manual to industrial scales. It is presented alongside objects from the main exhibition of the Museum of Pharmacy, focusing on the history of medicines. The exhibition also features supplementary materials such as a Braille guide, an easy-to-read text, and audio descriptions for specific drug leaflets, enhancing accessibility. Events like a podcast episode discussing accessibility, inspired by this exhibition, further underscore its thematic relevance and the museum's commitment to inclusive programming.

Standard tickets cost 10 PLN, with a reduced price of 7 PLN. Thursdays offer free admission. The exhibition "For External Use" and the "Res pharmaceuticae" exhibition were free to visit from September 16-30 as part of the Warsaw Science Festival. Tickets can be purchased online through the provided link.