About me
My name is Joanna Kozak and I am a graphic designer, writer and visual artist. My on-going journey through art and design practice helped me to ascertain my primary conviction as an artist and a designer – that is, quoting Susan Sontag: What is important now is to recover our senses. We must learn to see more, to hear more, to feel more. I work across a wide range of media; from photography, film and animation through digital to traditional drawing and printmaking, with a focus on branding, editorial design and digital design (filmmaking, design for web).
I completed 3 years of the 5-year study programme of Integrated Master's degree in Graphics at Jan Matejko Academy of Fine Arts in Kraków, Poland, with a qualification equivalent to the BA level. In October 2014 I started the MA Graphic Design Communication course at Chelsea College of Arts in London. It was a 1-year course with a strong emphasis on a research led practice and a self-directed design process. In my MA project entitled East meets West, I discussed the national identity crisis and mass migration phenomenon taking place in Poland and examined the notion of invisible labour as a consequence of neoliberalism and austerity.
In October 2015 I have been offered a design placement (3 days a week) at the Studio objectif in Elephant&Castle, London (http://objectif.co.uk). Studio objectif is a graphic design practice specialising in exhibition design, visitor experience and book design. The position requires an in-depth knowledge of the design software (Photoshop, InDesign, Illustrator) and a comprehensive understanding of typography and design standards, including the principals of designing for web. As a part of the design team, I gained a considerable experience of working on the community projects and collaborating with cultural and educational organisations.
From May 2014 to September 2014 I worked as a Head of Press and Communication at Rowing Projects, a contemporary art gallery in Kentish Town (http://rowingprojects.com/), with main responsibilities including: marketing & research and implementing improvements to visual identity of Rowing in collaboration with official designer An Endless Supply (anendlesssuply.co.uk). I demonstrated my abilities to produce high-quality PR materials using the Adobe Creative Suite software (InDesign, Illustrator, Photoshop, Acrobat, Flash).
As a Graphic Designer in the Goniec Litewski, a Polish-Lithuanian newspaper (May 2013 – November 2013), I was responsible for magazine layout development. Being a part of a small and busy team demanded professional approach to time, costs and deadlines.
I am truly passionate about my work and consider myself as a highly motivated, creative, hard-working and organised person, with a keen eye for detail. If you like to get more info please do not hesitate to email me at bgruschenko@gmail.com. To see my portfolio please visit http://english.joannakozak.pl/
Projects
- Design journalPublication documenting the design process of my MA project. The layout (two columns, with alignment to left and to right, with an uneven gap in-between) emphasises the idea of the impossible meeting of the East and the West. Bilingual: English and Polish. Dimensions: 150 x 200 mm, 96 pages, hardcover.
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Work history
Artist Educator
Delivering creative activities and events to Eastern European community
Sharing skills/ideas for community engagement and education
Working as an individual or in collaboration with other artist educators to plan and deliver sessions with groups
Senior Hospitality Team Member
Customer service
Till & cash handling
Taking beverage and food orders
Food handling
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Skills
- Events
- Film
- Visual Arts
- Print Design
- Printmaking
- Journalism
- Typography
- Brand Design
- Illustration Painting
- Education Projects
- Packagaing
- Editoral Design
- Art Direciton
Education
MA Graphic Design Communication
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MA Graphic Design Communication at the Chelsea College of Art and Design, University of the Arts London is a 1-year course with a strong emphasis on a research led practice and a multidisciplinary approach towards various aspects of design. In my MA project entitled East meets West, I discussed the national identity crisis and mass migration phenomenon taking place in Poland and examined the notion of invisible labour as a consequence of neoliberalism and austerity. The piece presented during the MA Final Show in September 2015 was a multimedia installation, consisting of objects, video (stop-motion animation) and sound.
Graphics, Integrated Master’s Degree
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Courses undertaken: Drawing, Painting, Graphic Design, Lettering & Typography, Photography,
Linocut, Serigraphy
Awards
Scholarship
Grant towards direct and indirect expenses related to my MA course funded by The General Jan Zygmunt Emil Berek & Irena Bogumila Berek Charitable Trust