Folk is constantly present in design, fashion, graphics, and many other areas. It is still a valid socio-cultural space for some artists; a genuine product of past generations that can be experienced in its unprocessed form. For others, it is an imaginative space, a symbol or a quote that functions in modern culture. These different takes on the ‘source’ resulted in the the exhibition being divided in two.
The first part of the exhibition presents a selection of folk costumes characteristic of the most important regions of Poland. Those costumes are accompanied by the models of the folk dances that were initially made for the International Exhibition of Folk Dances in Paris, 1937. The models are composed of dancing figurines and present the celebration of certain events and anniversaries.
Folk dance certainly cannot be separated from the music that would be performed by talented, although very often not educated, local folk musicians. Their instruments are to be exhibited as well.
The second part of the exhibition refers to contemporary design inspired by folk art. It presents a diverse array of artistic approaches. However, two main trends can be spotted in modern reinterpretation of folk: the first focuses on ornamentation and forms, the other on materials and craft. Moreover, the projects are even more unique as the artists tend to follow their own artistic path from concept to realization. Some of them find inspiration in folk items themselves, the others meet local artists in order to learn their craft. This multitude of artistic choices is reflected in the exhibition, as it presents, among others, everyday objects, furniture, crockery, jewellery, graphics and clothes of Polish designers.