A primer on Polish design at the School of Form in Poznań
Place: School of Form, 18 Głogowska Street, Poznań
Opening: 16.11.2017, 6 p.m.
When they were in common use, no one thought they would end up in museum showcases. Ptasie Mleczko, Ringo’s rubber wheel, Knothe and Modzelewski’s furniture, Horbowy’s glassware, porcelain from Ćmielów and children’s toys made of wood – these are examples from more than 100 designs included in the exhibition presenting the achievements of Polish design and graphic design. The exhibition at School of Form will be open to the public from 17.11.2017, at the school’s headquarters at 18 Głogowska Street in Poznań (MTP, Hall 1).
‘Elementarz Polskiego Designu’ (Primer of Polish Design) presents both contemporary designs and those that have managed to become classics. Unique; prototypes that have never entered mass production; but also very popular items that Poles have been using on a daily basis for the last 100 years.
The exhibition was created to celebrate the centenary of Poland’s independence. It assumes the presentation of 100 works by Polish designers interpreted by twenty-five Polish illustrators, – artists, experienced masters of the Polish school of illustration, illustrators of the young and middle generation winning world awards and those who have just graduated, such as Piotr Młodożeniec, Edgar Bak, Małgorzata Gurowska or Patryk Mogilnicki.
Presented in chronological order, the projects clearly show how tastes have shaped and changed over the 100-year history of Polish design. Some motifs seem to be taken up more often than others, such as animal-inspired toy furniture and figurines, or glass and porcelain, which have rightly gained international recognition.
The exhibition is also educational. Through play, it teaches what the design process is all about, how ideas are formed and, ultimately, what an amazing concept design is – the closest art form to humanity that we are all surrounded by, interact with on a daily basis and could not do without, although we often do not realise it.
ACCOMPANYING EVENTS – workshops for schoolchildren
The events accompanying the exhibition will be creative workshops aimed at secondary school students. Classes in construction and prototyping techniques will be led by Szymon Filoda. A very effective combination of fabrics, thanks to which we obtain a 3D effect, the so-called smocking, will be presented by Dorota Jasiak during the workshop. And the team from the ceramics workshop, together with Arkadiusz Szwed, will introduce workshop participants to the world of plaster modelling. Admission is free, after completing an application form.
curator: Ewa Solarz
arrangement: Studio Beton – Marta and Lech Rowińscy
visual identification: Studio Acapulco: Agata Dudek and Małgorzata Nowak
object texts: Agnieszka Kowalska, Ewa Solarz, Agata Szydłowska
Organiser: Adam Mickiewicz Institute
Co-organisers: Niepodległa Polska – Centenary of Regaining Independence, PPNT Gdynia, Gdynia Design Centre, Regional Museum in Stalowa Wola, School of Form / SWPS University, Wytwórnia
