stván Bakos is a Hungarian poster designer, graphic artist and photographer whose work spans film and theatre posters, commercial advertising and photography. Active since the late 1960s, he first became known for Pop Art-inspired movie posters, combining comic-like imagery with unusual compositions that bring elements such as gun barrels and pointing fingers directly towards the viewer. His 1969 poster for Orient Mokka coffee is a notable example of this style. By the end of the decade, his work had become more painterly, with strong brushwork, surreal imagery and a clear sense of irony.

Born in Budapest in 1941, Bakos studied at the Hungarian Academy of Fine Arts between 1960 and 1968, where his teachers included Konecsni György and Viski Balás László. In 1964, he designed the cover of International Beat, regarded as the first Hungarian beat LP. His early work focused mainly on film and theatre posters, where he developed a distinctive, expressive style. In 1975, encouraged by architect Finta József, he turned to commercial photography and began producing advertising images and graphics for companies including Tanimpex, Mino, Elektroimpex and Hungarotex.

During the 1980s, Bakos often combined photography and graphic design in commercial posters, particularly for fashion companies. His advertisements frequently featured elegant female figures, often with a gently erotic quality. From 1989 onwards, he also worked with advertising agencies on billboards and commercials. His work was shown in exhibitions in Hungary and internationally, including the International Poster Biennales in Warsaw and Lahti and the 1978 exhibition 10dencies in Hungarian Poster Design in London.

Bakos received the award for Hungary's Best Poster several times, including in 1967, 1968, 1974 and 1982, and won the competition's main prize in 1976 and 1978. He received a special award at the Warsaw International Poster Biennale in 1980 and the Ferenczy Noémi Prize in 1995. In 2020, he received the Konecsny Lifetime Achievement Award.

Bakos has been a member of the Hungarian Academy of Arts since 2012. His work is held in the collections of the Hungarian National Gallery and the National Széchényi Library in Budapest, as well as the Munkácsy Mihály Museum in Békéscsaba. His work has also been documented in the monographs Bakos István. Művek / Works (2015) and Bakos István tervezőgrafikus (2021).

István Bakos