Designers at work. Photo: Arek Szwed
A small Polish town with a big tradition of porcelain design hosts three weeks of design workshops centred around the joy of food and culinary presentation. One of Poland's most recognised product designers leads an international group of students to discover new ways of looking at porcelain and how to apply these new ideas in practice.
The workshops take place in the renowned Ćmielów Porcelain Factory, led by designer Marek Cecuła. A dozen students from the School of Form in Poznań and the Royal College of Art in London join Cecuła to explore putting a creative spin on traditional tabletop design. The project pays heed to the way our favourite delicacies are made all the more appealing thanks to the charm of a well-designed serving dish, dessert bowl, platter or saucer.
Founded at the end of the 18th century, the Ćmielów plant has produced hundreds of items of high-quality, noteworthy functional design. The aim of the workshops, held in the plant's Ćmielów Studio Design department, is to take an innovative approach to today's design with the cooperation of an international group of aspiring designers. The plant will produce a series of the best projects, which then go on display in Ćmielów before making the rounds at prestigious design festivals in Poland and in the U.K., including London Design Week, British Ceramics Biennial in Stroke-on-Tent and the Łódź Design Festival. Designers also have a chance to have their own product lines manufactured at the plant.
Design by Dominiki Bzdziak (School of Form) at the workshops in Ćmielów, 17 July 2013. Photo: Liang Liu
As Marek Cecuła, who is the creative director at the Ćmielów Porcelain Factory and head of the Modus Design company (established in New York City in 1976), describes the initiative,
Art Food is an international project in which we integrate many areas: the world of design with the porcelain industry, education with the realities of the trade, as well as the methods of work and experience in particular cultures. We 'remove' the academic reality and move it into 'real' life. [...]. Familiarising oneself with the industry from within pays off in later stages of one's career, even if one takes an entirely different path.
The first stage of the workshops included research sessions on the top of culinary arts, under the direction of Dr. Ewa Klekot, head of the Anthropology Department at the School of Form. An important element of the process was also workshops on the secrets of food pairing and the reinterpretation of classic dishes, flavours and cuisines, led by Michelin-rated chefs Wojciech Modest Amaro and Tim Allen. The art of presentation was also a vital aspect of their activities, exploring how form can impact taste and setting tableware up as a "medium for food" and flavour.
Marek Cecuła and Landon Peck (Royal College of Art in London) at the workshops in Ćmielów, 17 July 2013. Photo: Daga Rogers
The project is part of a movement in favour of "Art for Industry", pushing for a return to the traditions of artistic craftsmanship and cooperation between artists and the product manufacturing industries. The Ćmielów Design Studio will host an ongoing residency programme, as well as regular seminars on design open to an international audience of experts and aspiring designers.
Ćmielów, Chodzież and Ćmielów Design Studio are three significant brands of Polish design, established in June 2013 in cooperation with the Ćmielów and Chodzież porcelain production plants, which carry on the traditions of Polish achievements in the field and were established in 1790 and 1852, respectively. Thanks to their consolidation, the two companies with their vast craftsmanship traditions have been able to thrive.
The project is carried out under the auspices of the Adam Mickiewicz Institute.
For more information on Art Food, see: artfood2013.wordpress.com
Art Food on Tour
Author: Agnieszka Sural. Translated (with edits) by Agnes Monod-Gayraud
Source: Modus Design, own materials
Thumbnail credit: Design by KABO & PYDO, courtesy of Art Food 2013
20.07.2013