Despite closed borders, and contrary to popular opinion, Polish design fared remarkably well in the communist period. The unavailability of materials and system restrictions which Polish artists constantly had to deal with paradoxically opened the way to creativity. Making something out of nothing was the starting point for many original artists.
Many of those forgotten designs are back in fashion. The young generation of Polish artists is going back to and rediscovering the design of the communist Polish People’s Republic (PRL), recreating the best specimens from that period. A sample of the most interesting projects and the unique atmosphere of that bygone era will be presented at a unique street gallery during Brussels Design September.
The exhibition will distinguish itself with its original form of presentation – the exhibits will be placed in booths specially designed for the occasion and located in popular Brussels destinations. Art in the Box is a way for each passer-by to have a chance to see the exhibition. The booths' characteristic pattern and lighting will help draw attention to them and concentrate it on the presented objects. The original designs of the PRL, previously unavailable to those outside the Soviet bloc and afterwards displaced from common memory, will at last be presented to a wider audience.
Design in PRL times, apart from its aesthetic qualities, was intended to make things useful. Thus, during the Crazy Polish Design exhibition, the presented everyday art will be divided into four categories: lifestyle, kids, recycling, and health. The characteristic chairs and tables, the cosmic bike, crazy cups, and other PRL-era gadgets will be displayed for a few weeks in Brussels' public spaces.
The booth locations: Rue du Vieux Marché aux Grain/Rue Antoine Dansaert, Square Marie-Louise, Solidaroność Square.
Source: press materials, ed. km, September 2014. transl. szm