Erwann Gauthier wins 8th ‘We Want Jazz’ Poster Competition (Warsaw)

The 2026 edition of the We Want Jazz Poster Competition, held in Warsaw, has crowned Madagascar-born, Paris-based artist Erwann Gauthier as its latest winner. This annual event, now in its eighth year, attracted close to a thousand submissions from 75 countries, all vying to visually interpret the theme celebrating the 100th anniversary of jazz legend Miles Davis.

Gauthier’s winning design stands out for its innovative approach to jazz’s core spirit—improvisation. Drawing inspiration from the evolution of Davis’s music, from his immersive early recordings to the fiery, experimental collaborations with artists like Kenny Garrett, Gauthier sought to echo the restless reinvention that marked Davis’s career. His poster deliberately eschews traditional compositional rules, instead embracing a visual language that mirrors jazz’s rhythmic complexities, dynamic tensions, and expansive silences.

This visual homage goes beyond mere representation; it is a spontaneous, improvisational creation born from the artist’s process of listening and reacting to Davis’s soundscapes. The interplay of graphic elements captures the freedom intrinsic to jazz, reflecting how Davis continually reshaped his musical identity throughout his life.

Erwann Gauthier is no stranger to the jazz world as a visual chronicler. He is the mind behind La Couleur du Jazz, a traveling exhibition showcasing portraits of jazz musicians, which has been featured at prestigious festivals like Montreux and Jazz à Vienne. Additionally, his literary contribution includes the recent publication of "Miles Davis, la nuit aussi est un soleil," further demonstrating his deep engagement with the artist’s legacy.

The We Want Jazz Poster Competition, organized by Fundacja Popularyzacji Muzyki Jazzowej EUROJAZZ in partnership with RadioJazz.FM, has become a significant platform for jazz-inspired graphic art since its inception in 2019. Poland’s rich history in jazz poster art is reflected in the competition’s previous winners, with nearly half originating from Polish artists. This year’s contest maintained the tradition of international participation and high artistic standards.

Past winners have included notable names such as Jerzy Skakun, Julia Lipińska, and Darko Karać, whose works have explored diverse themes tied to jazz heritage and contemporary culture. The competition not only awards prizes but also curates an exhibition showcasing the top 100 selected posters, situating jazz poster art within a global artistic dialogue.

Gauthier’s victory highlights the intersection of visual arts and music, emphasizing the ongoing influence of Miles Davis as a muse for multidisciplinary creativity. His poster contributes a fresh visual narrative that honors the centenary of Davis’s birth by encapsulating the essence of jazz innovation and freedom.

Details regarding the specific judging criteria and the awarded prizes for the 2026 competition remain limited. However, the announcement underscores the continuing vitality of jazz culture and its capacity to inspire artists worldwide across various mediums.

As the jazz community reflects on Davis’s enduring legacy, Gauthier’s work offers a contemporary lens through which to appreciate the genre’s profound improvisational spirit. His achievement not only enriches the visual culture surrounding jazz but also reinforces the genre’s global resonance in the arts.

The We Want Jazz Poster Competition continues to serve as a vibrant crossroads for artistic expression, celebrating jazz’s dynamic history and its ongoing evolution through the creative visions of international artists like Erwann Gauthier.