Polish design at Expo
Participants in the World Expo can admire the achievements of Polish creators of applied arts in the Poland Pavilion at Expo 2020 from 11 to 30 November 2021. During the temporary exhibition, Poland brings back more than 100 years of history of Polish design and presents contemporary achievements in this field. The organiser of the "On The Strength of Polish Design" exhibition is the Patent Office of the Republic of Poland.
The “On The Strength of Polish Design” temporary exhibition is the confirmation of the growing popularity of Polish applied arts in the world.
Poland ranked 15th in the World Design Rankings 2021, ahead of Sweden and Norway, which are associated with modern design.
Poland is the sixth largest furniture producer in the world. The tradition of woodworking is firmly rooted and has a strong connection to applied arts.
From references to history through functionality to futuristic inspirations – how Polish design has changed over the last 100 years.
Thanks to the Polish Investment and Trade Agency, which is responsible for Poland’s participation in Expo 2020, artists connected with Polish design have appeared among nearly 200 entities representing industries with the greatest potential for export to Middle Eastern and African markets.
The Poland Pavilion. Tradition and modernity
The main presentation venue and source of information about our country, the Poland Pavilion itself, is a perfect example of how innovative Polish design is. The author of the project as well as the architectural and thematic concept is the Warsaw WXCA studio. The design of the pavilion makes a clear reference to the concept of mobility. It is an open, modular structure that expands upwards, inviting the visitors to relax in the shade of the expansive canopy and contemplate the installation – a kinetic sculpture of a flying flock of birds – hovering above their heads. The central part of the Pavilion is the Polish Table installation – the quintessence of Polish design, its history and current trends.
The Polish Table. Spectacular piece of applied art consisting of 120 modules
The surface of the Polish Table was constructed from over 120 modules – milled blocks of Polish ash wood. Each of them depicts a selected aspect of Poland – its terrain, landscape, urban space. The installation also includes unique special modules. Those are original, artistic works made by leading Polish artists and craftsmen who specialise in creating using specific materials or particular techniques. The Polish Table includes modules made of clay (Zakłady Ceramiczne “Bolesławiec”), glass (Agnieszka Bar), steel and materials used in the yacht industry (Conrad Shipyard), copper and silver (Oskar Zięta), wood (Maciej Siuda) and special aluminium for 3D printing (PIAP Space). The Polish Table is a unique artistic work and a showpiece of our design.
Expo 2020 Partnership Programme. Promotion of the export potential of Polish design
Expo 2020 Dubai is a collaborative project. In line with the slogan of the exhibition, “Connecting minds. Creating the future,” many private companies are participating in this unique event. Among them there are ambassadors of Polish design who have joined the first such a comprehensive Partnership Programme in history. The initiative is implemented by the Polish Investment and Trade Agency, which is responsible for increasing the expansion of Polish companies abroad. Expo 2020 in Dubai features leading Polish companies that incorporate elements related to design into their production. One of them is Szkilnik Design, which specialises in the production of luxury wooden washbasins and bathtubs. Important elements of Szkilnik Design products are top-class finishing and the fact that they are hand-made, due to which each product is unique. Crystal Julia also participates in the World Expo. It is a glass factory that offers crystal glass products – shaped and polished by hand, referring to the 19th century design.
Polish design inspired by nature
„Poland. Creativity inspired by nature.” – it is the slogan of the Polish presentation at Expo 2020 in Dubai. It perfectly reflects the character of Polish design and its relationship with the natural resources. Our country has always abounded in forests, which is why the tradition of woodworking is still alive. The slogan also emphasises the unique beauty of Polish nature and wildlife and points out that people are the main asset. Artists, craftsmen, engineers and architects are creative, hard-working, innovative and trend-setting.
Polish design has changed over the years. It used to refer to the existing reality and over time started to meet the expectations and tastes of art connoisseurs and ordinary users of everyday objects. In times of partition or war, regional and cultural motifs were used. Polish elements were introduced to preserve national identity. After World War II and the period of Stalinism, design began to focus more and more on the practical and functional aspects. References were also made to new trends in art. Many important works were created as a result: figurines from Ćmielów designed by artists from the Institute of Industrial Design in Warsaw, or the Muszelka chair by Teresa Kruszewska. Polish design is currently dominated by minimalism, which manifests itself in both forms and bright and warm colours. Futuristic inspirations are becoming more and more prevalent, dominated by aerodynamic shapes of furniture and everyday objects. Projects from the communist era are also coming back into favour, including works by Professor Rajmund Hałas and Czesław Kowalski. This is happening due to studios producing furniture based on original designs from the past.
Expo 2020 in Dubai takes place from 1 October 2021 to 31 March 2022. The Poland Pavilion and the Polish Table are the main venue for promoting Polish design and its export potential to new markets in the Middle East and Africa.
