Modernity strikes at National Museum in Warsaw

'We Want to Be Modern' screams the title of a new exhibit focused on Polish design between the years 1955-1968.

 "This was a revolutionary time in Poland...," explains curator Anna Frackiewicz, adding that these years saw a distinct burst of creativity in the design scene in the country. ...more.

Source: thenews.pl

POLISH GRAND DESIGN - YES, IT DOES EXIST!

Everyone visiting Warsaw should see the "We want to be modern - Polish Design 1955-1968" exhibition, which will continue till the 17th of April, at the National Museum.

There are 154 objects gathered on a small space, in a big museum. These include posters created by artists who formed what we call today the Polish School of Poster (the wonderful "Train" by Wojciech Zamecznik or "Knife in the Water" by Jan Lenica); among exhibits there are true icons of polish design: 1956 "Shell" chairs by Teresa Kruszewska, 1958 fiberglass and epoxy resin armchairs by Roman Modzelewski (this design has drawn attention of the great Le Corbusier, who has wanted to buy a license and produce the armchairs under his own name; the cooperation has not taken place though)and many other beautifully designed pieces of furniture, fabrics, ceramics and items made of glass.

The striking thing is how modern and refined these objects are. There is no easy answer to the obvious question, why they haven't made an international career.

To some extent the political situation was to blame - we were a country from behind the Iron Curtain, cut off from the exchange of artistic ideas with the West. Another reason, which is often given is the backwardness in the access to materials - in the West fashion for organic forms still continued, but it entered an era of new materials: fiberglass, epoxies, which were then practically unavailable in Poland. Here most artists used easily obtainable plywood for their designs.

There are quite a lot of textiles at the exhibition: fabric-graphics like Agnieszka Ruszczyńska-Szafrańska's tapestry "The Head", a kerchief with a woman's head by Alicja Wyszogrodzka, wonderful "kids'" patterns like "the Zoo" by Danuta Paprowicz-Michnio (please take a closer look at the animals' outlines - most were created with one stroke) and the merry patterns and colors of the "Hotel Mewa" fabric - especially designed for a hotel, in 1960! And yet again, many patterns over half a century old do resemble modern textiles.

 Kind of a sign of the times is large number of designed ashtrays. The funniest is the clash of the charming little ceramic dishes designed by Zofia Przybyszewska (their form brings Finnish Itala's objects by Alvaro Aalto) with their description: "The bridge set: a cigarette container and ashtrays". Luckily, nowadays they are usually taken for bowls for pretzels and peanuts.

Please note the furniture of great beauty by Marian Sigmund, arranged like in a room: a couch and two armchairs, the dark blue fabric upholstery underlines the perfection of the wooden frame. It seems they would find customers even now, were they produced.

The same applies to the "Little Sail" vase, designed by Lubomir Tomaszewski. On the exhibition poster it is enlarged to gargantuan size. In fact it is tiny and ethereal - it would make a great souvenir from the exhibition.

Speaking of souvenirs, they have always been Polish museums' Achilles' heel. There is no exception this time. A canvas bag and a cup with graphics of the exhibits seem too little. The exhibition's catalogue is worth recommending though. While it is not cheap (39PLN) it tells an interesting story of polish design and is full of photographs of magnificent objects, which we cannot have in any other way.

The "Little Sail" vase, Lubomir Tomaszewski

Left to right: wire chair, Czesław Knothe; tube armchair, Teresa Kruszewska; armchair by Roman Modzelewski

A plywood armchair, seat weaved with nylon string, Jan Kurzątkowski