Culture.pl Brings Curated Exhibit to Tent London
Culture.pl presents thoughtfully crafted and beautifully designed ceramic objects in the exhibit What Goes Behind... at Tent London. The interesting and often surprising objects featured hint at the creative processes from which they were born. Each of the artists represented has a distinct approach to the design process and their selected works have evolved from these individual creative philosophies.
The exhibition stand was designed by Zieta Prozessdesign, a multidisciplinary team of architects, designers, engineers, and technologists, led by renowned Polish designer Oskar Zieta, using their newest plywood and steel furniture line PAKIET. Zieta is well known for his innovative and sometimes whimsical furniture creations. Zieta Prozessdesign’s first collection using wood as the primary material, PAKIET will play a key role in the exhibit’s design.
What Goes Behind... showcases the breadth of applications and methods that influence ceramic arts today. From decorative figurines to functional forms and vessels, the objects are created using both new technologies and traditional Polish manufacturing techniques.
Works by designers Bartek Mejor, Kabo&Pydo, Magdalena Estera Lapinska, Malwina Konopacka, Bogdan Kosak, and Maria Jeglinska incorporate both traditional craft techniques and modern designs. Mejor’s Cyclone pendant lamp blends the artist’s love of traditional art and materials with experimentation in digital modeling technologies. Through this combination, he captures the fluid motion of porcelain as frozen in space.
Maria Jeglinska’s series The Nightingale was derived from the Hans Christian Anderson tale of the same name. Invoking the theme of the story through an exploration of handcrafted and machine-made artifacts, the collection emphasizes contrast and celebrates imperfection. Jeglinska’s previous works have been exhibited at the Barbican Art Gallery, the Triennale di Milano, and the Centre Pompidou Metz. She co-curated and designed “Wonder Cabinets of Europe” for the 2012 London Design Festival and the 2013 ICFF .
The exhibit also features experimental projects by the artists and ceramicists Karina Marusinska, Alicja Patanowska and Natasza Grzeskiewicz, three artists whose works address issues in ecology and social responsibility. Royal College of Art graduate Patanowska’s Lab Series incorporates her skill in both glass and ceramic arts, resulting in beautifully delicate and practical tabletop greenhouses ideal for cultivating herbs.
Designers Karolina Bednorz and Marta Dachowska’s work has evolved from a project called Art Food – a special series of craft workshops organized by Culture.pl and Modus Design. The Art Food vessels were designed as a ceramic canvas to showcase culinary art and present the pure beauty of food. Corresponding to the ceramics on display at Tent London, Art Food 2015.Senses, the third edition in the Art Food series, will be revealed at the British Ceramic Biennial in Stoke-on-Trent, which opens the 26th of September.
The What Goes Behind... exhibit celebrates collaborations between established ceramic manufacturers and up and coming designers. Renowned Polish ceramics manufacturer Kristoff will launch collections with young designers Kaja Kusztra, Magda Pilaczynska, and Tymek Jezierski. Each of these artists decorated classic Kristoff porcelain tableware with themes drawn from various inspirations including the words of great inventors, simple shapes and icons, and the art of crochet.
Manufacturers Modus Design, Polskie Fabryki Porcelany “Cmielow” i “Chodziez,” and Cmielow Design Studio have also come together to work with young designers for the exhibit. Since 1976, Modus Design has explored the concept of everyday celebration through ceramic design. Along with Polskie Fabryki Porcelany “Cmielow” i “Chodziez,” they operate as Cmielow Design Studio, an organization which supports the artists in the industry movement by bridging the gap between designers and manufacturers. The fruits of these collaborations include Agnieska Tomalczyk’s KIWI series, a ceramic interpretation of the shape and movement of the kiwi bird, as well as Cobalt Colored Beads; an interactive jewelry kit featuring porcelain beads, which the user can mix and match to create their own designs.
Culture.pl’s What Goes Behind... will be on display for the duration of Tent London from September 24- 27, 2015. A hub for cultural heritage and international innovation, Tent highlights country showcases during the London Design Festival, providing the perfect venue for this exhibit.