Polish Design – A Rebirth
Over the past few years, Poland has unleashed some really intriguing design. The likes of Moho, Com 40, Iker and Noti have gained recognition via design awards from Red Dot, Elle Decoration and Wallpaper. So what sparked this creative burst?
In the 1980’s recession paired with political crisis resulted in a melt-down of the of national design institutions in Poland. Designer’s were in a “survival of the fittest” mode which was clearly failing. Then after 2000, a resurgence of the design community came in the form of a quarterly publication 2+3D and the establishment of The Adam Mickiewicz Institute for the promotion of Polish culture abroad. In 2005 The Siliesian Castle of Art and Enterprise was established by the local government as a regional design center and the state-owned Institute of Industrial Design was revived to promote design via research and development, promotion and consultation.
A group of Polish designers including Tomasz Augustyniak, Piotr Kuchcinski, Jerzy Langier and Renata Kalarus have risen to the challenge, and then some. Their works are inspired by traditional Polish motifs and techniques such as the Moho Dia Felt Rug or by contemporary industrial themes as in Augustyniak’s Mono Chaise for com 40. Puff Buff lamps by Anna Siedlecka and Radek Archamowicz explore materiality and scale.
Many of these companies are very young – 5 to 8 years in existence. As a group, these pieces feel genuine, uncalculated. Maybe there is a silver lining to every cloud – the failure of an old system gives rise to highly charged creativity and innovation. Something to think about.
