Design
The Alternative Face of Zagreb – Posters by Igor Hofbauer
“If Zagreb had a recognizable look, then the art of Igor Hofbauer would form one of its key ingredients,” TimeOut Croatia recently beamed about the Croatian illustrator and poster artist, whose designs pair strong line with bold color in a limited palette to achieve maximum visual impact. Though the statement might make Zagreb seem a little more edgy and urban than it actually is, it speaks to the iconic style that Hofbauer has managed to develop in a relatively short time, as well as its continuation of a tradition of striking illustration among Croatian design greats, such as Ivan Picelj and Boris Bućan, and more recently, Mirko Ilić.
Hofbauer’s signature style is not necessarily rooted in a particular region or locality, though it does draw from gritty Novi Zagreb – a cluster of socialist-era housing developments built just south of Zagreb’s historical center. Instead, Hofbauer draws from multiple sources – film noir, pop art, retro Sci-Fi movie posters, and the stark visual language of comics – to create his own mode of expression that is not only visually arresting, but fresh and contemporary while rooted in historical traditions with strong graphic tendencies.
LETE Poster
A graduate of the Zagreb Academy of Fine Arts, Hofbauer began his career in the visual arts as part of the comic art collective Komikaze. He notes, though, that he began producing and selling his artwork even as early as a primary school student, when he made posters for Saturday dance parties. He especially enjoyed creating posters for dances where 15-20 minutes of punk and heavy metal music were allowed.
A drummer himself, this early desire to promote the music he loved would eventually lead him to a fruitful partnership with the cult club Močvara in Zagreb. Designing posters for Močvara’s musical acts, Hofbauer’s notable style would become recognized throughout Zagreb and eventually internationally. In 2004, his posters were included in The Art of Modern Rock: The Poster Explosion, a compilation of the most significant rock posters by some 350 international artists, and he has continued to successfully publish his work.
Prison Stories (cover)
Prison Stories, a collection of graphic novellas was published in 2009 and has become a cult hit amongst alternative comic and graphic novel enthusiasts. He also collaborated with Edo Popović to illustrate Betonske Priče (Concrete Tales), a book of short stories that take place in the concrete neighborhoods of Zagreb. In 2010, Hofbauer published a collection of sketches revealing his creative methods under the title Firma, co-published by Kik Melone (Croatia), Vera Susankova (Porto), and Turbo Comix (France/Serbia).
Alongside his poster art, Hofbauer has also published comic strips, designed book jackets, painted murals for Močvara and Prostor Do, and designed the scenography for several theatrical productions. His work has been included in several international exhibitions, including Croatie, la Voici, a festival of Croatian culture held in France in the fall of 2012, and in 2013 his work with be exhibited at The Projects festival of experimental comics and narrative arts in Portland in October 2013.
Written by Elaine Ritchel (@elaineritchel)
Image source: Gig Posters
