Unpolished 10 – Zagreb

The exhibition “UNPOLISHED 10 – YOUNG DESIGN FROM POLAND/ZAGRZEB” at the Design Center of the Croatian Chamber of Commerce in Zagreb(www.hgk.hr), will feature 26 works by 18 Polish designers and design groups, Among the works on display will be Oskar Zięta’s innovative and unique Plopp stools, Malafora inflatable sofas, Agnieszka Bar’s unique glassware, Karina Marusinska’s porcelain, and Aze Design chairs.

The creators of the exhibition are experts in Polish and international design, recognized authorities in the field of design and applied arts: Agnieszka Jacobson-Cielecka curator of many exhibitions and artistic director of the Lodz Design Festival, and Paweł Grobelny, designer and exhibition curator.

The exhibition “UNPOLISHED – YOUNG DESIGN FROM POLAND” is a project whose main idea is to present the most interesting works and achievements of young Polish designers to the widest possible audience. To show that Polish young design, which draws on the rich Polish experience and traditions, is a distinct phenomenon, and thus attractive and worth knowing. The success the exhibition enjoys at design festivals across Europe proves that Polish design is gaining more and more recognition, and that its creators – young artists – thanks to their talent, imagination, experience, unconventional ideas and passion – count on international markets.

In 2011, the exhibition “UNPOLISHED – YOUNG DESIGN FROM POLAND” was presented at many prestigious European design festivals including Salone del Mobile in Milan, Designer’s Days and Design Week in Paris, Budapest Design Week and the Museum of Applied Arts in Cologne. This November, the exhibition organized at the Design Center of the Croatian Chamber of Commerce in Zagreb will be seen by the Croatian public. The last edition of this year’s “UNPOLISHED – YOUNG DESIGN FROM POLAND” will take place in December this year in Hong Kong. It is worth noting that the exhibition, carried out as part of the cultural setting of the Polish Presidency of the Council of the European Union, promotes Polish culture and applied arts in the world’s major design centers.

“We first presented the works of young Polish designers in September 2009 at the DESIGN SEPTEMBER festival in Brussels. At that time, Polish artistic achievements aroused the interest of professionals – design experts and the public. It turned out that Polish design is attractive to the European audience, and our designers have interesting, surprising and unique ideas.” – explains Agnieszka Jacobson Cielecka, curator of the exhibition. “Thus, the UNPOLISHED exhibition has become a cyclical project – after all, every year new creators appear, there are more and more interesting artistic projects worth showing in Europe. ”

Most of the designers and design groups presenting their works at the exhibition belong to the generation of 30-year-olds. This is, according to the curators, the most interesting group of Polish artists. Brilliantly educated, they not only design, but also produce and promote their own work. Many of them have already gained worldwide recognition, successfully competing with designers from other countries, while others are just at the beginning of their careers.

“When selecting works and designers, we looked for the most characteristic elements of Polish design, features that distinguish us from other designers. When preparing such exhibitions, we are always faced with the question of what do we actually want to prove? Is it that Poles design like everyone else? Or that they design differently from everyone else?” points out Agnieszka Jacobson Cielecka. “Certainly the process of creation and the choice of materials is special. Designers reach for materials that are accessible, inexpensive and natural: wood, osb and mdf boards, felt, or recycled materials. They also most often make their objects themselves or with the help of local craftsmen. Most works are prototypes, uniques or limited series.”

Some artists are inspired by Polish tradition, material culture or craftsmanship. Many works are characterized by humor, irony, balancing on the border between design and art, a perverse sense of humor or distance from classic definitions of design. Such are the works of Agnieszka Bar or Concrete. Another theme is the fascination with material, texture and manufacturing technology, particularly noticeable in the works of Monika Patuszyńska, Magdalena Trzcionka, Karina Marusińska or Oskar Zięta. The presented projects have a common denominator: it is simplicity, modesty, balance between tradition and modernity and striving for harmony according to the principle “less is more”.

CO-ORGANIZER OF THE EXHIBITION

Embassy of the Republic of Poland in Zagreb – has been promoting Poland in Croatia for many years. For the period of Poland’s Presidency of the Council of the European Union, a special cultural program has been prepared in cooperation with leading Croatian cultural institutions, such as the Zagreb Philharmonic, the Summer Festival in Dubrovnik, the Baroque Evenings Festival in Varazdin and the Croatian Chamber of Commerce – Design Center. Concerts, exhibitions, open lectures and publications present recognized Polish artists and creators, with the main goal of introducing contemporary Poland to Croatians. A special place in this program is occupied by an exhibition of young Polish design. After its enthusiastic reception in many cities around the world, we hope that the Croatian public will also like Polish design art. More information about the Polish cultural presence in Croatia can be found on the website of the Virtual Institute of Culture of the Polish Embassy in Zagreb(www.hrvatska.com.pl) .