Tomasz Broda, a professor at the Academy of Fine Arts in Wrocław, was approached by the NYT's art director, Vinnie Neuberg, through Instagram.
"The proposal came from Vinnie Neuberg, who messaged me on my Instagram profile. We'd been following each other for a while, and apparently my work caught his eye," Broda told the Polish Press Agency (PAP).
His illustrations, published on page three of the paper, depict ordinary, anonymous people interacting with a printed newspaper, exploring its place in everyday life.
The series draws on Broda's long-standing habit of sketching people he observes while travelling, walking, or sitting in restaurants and airports.
The "Daily Spot Illustrations" column launched in 2017, with the paper commissioning a different artist each month to contribute a themed series.
Broda joins a list that has previously featured models and musicians.
The first Polish artist to appear in the column was Gosia Herba, also from Wrocław, who contributed a series featuring a dog back in 2021.
Broda said most of his illustrations were completed before March began.
(ał)
Source: PAP, polskieradio.pl