Teraz polski dizajn

Polish Design Now is a guidebook to the past and future of Polish design. It’s not only a presentation of important figures in Polish design, people who have shaped the Polish applied arts environment since 1945, but is also a mine of knowledge about historical contexts as well as European and American design inspirations. Aleksandra Koperda introduces us to the philosophy of design, influential educational institutions, organisations of craftsmen and artists, factories manufacturing ceramic products.

First and foremost, what we will find here are interesting interviews with Polish designers of everyday objects. Koperda talks to, for example, Krystian Kowalski, Szymon Hanczar, Wojciech Mierzwa, Aleksandra Kujawska, Piotr Podziomek, Arkadiusz Szwed. Each of whom create very different designs – most often these are chairs, armchairs and tables, but also vases, porcelain sets, studio glass, jewellery. Equally different are their approaches to designing.

But that’s not all: Koperda asks founders of important brands about their industry experience. For example, she talks to Michał Woch, founder of Vzór, and Michał Szarko, founder of the Politura brand. Both of these brands introduce to the market historical designs which have never been mass-produced. A separate part of Koperda’s book is devoted to something she describes as “a different view”: when designs heavily gravitate towards art (as is the case of Bartosz Mucha’s works) or when the art of design does not materialise in any objects ( Jo Jurga).