What kinds of objects inspire contemporary designers? What do the things they surround themselves with reveal about them? How do personal experiences, places, emotions, and memories shape the objects that eventually enter our homes and public spaces?
“Polish Design: Object Biographies / Designer Biographies” is the first exhibition in Poland dedicated to contemporary design that presents designers through the lens of their personal belongings, private histories, and material biographies. Rather than focusing solely on finished products, the exhibition explores the relationships between designers and the objects that accompany them in everyday life and throughout their creative processes.
The exhibition will showcase the latest developments in Polish design, bringing together iconic works and newly commissioned pieces alongside objects of particular significance to their makers. At its core lies not only the outcome of the design process, but also the individual behind it – their inspirations, working methods, daily rituals, and personal narratives. This approach offers a novel perspective on Polish design, which has traditionally been interpreted primarily through the objects themselves and their functions.
The exhibition is co-curated by Aleksandra Koperda – design historian, journalist for “Vogue Polska” and “Architectural Digest”, and author of award-winning publications on Polish design, including the bestselling “Teraz Polski dizajn”. For years, she has documented Poland’s design community, visited designers’ studios, and recorded their stories, creating one of the most compelling contemporary archives of Polish design culture.
The exhibition is co-curated by Agata Kiedrowicz – a curator, design critic, educator, and lecturer who works at the intersection of the humanities, art, and design. Her practice investigates the social, cultural, and sensory dimensions of design, approaching it as a tool for interpreting the contemporary world.
The exhibition seeks to examine contemporary Polish identity through objects – both professionally designed artefacts and private possessions that may appear unremarkable yet carry profound significance for their owners. In doing so, it will construct a multilayered narrative about Polish design, memory, emotion, and material culture.
An integral part of the project will be a richly illustrated bilingual catalogue in Polish and English, combining documentary value with the qualities of an original publication of scholarly and collectible significance. The publication will feature essays by leading design historians and critics, conversations with designers, and photographs of their studios alongside personal objects that play an important role in their lives and creative practices.
The exhibition will feature works by: Agnieszka Bar, Jan Gliński, Maja Ganszyniec, Martyna Barbara Golik, Grynasz Studio, Maria Jeglińska-Adamczewska, Magda Jurek, Malwina Konopacka, Krystian Kowalski, Piotr Kuchciński, Mati Sipiora, Nodi Studio, UAU project, Adam Skotarczak, and Aleksandra Żeromska.
The project has the potential to become one of the most significant events devoted to contemporary Polish design in 2026, offering audiences a unique insight into the worlds of designers and the stories embedded within the objects that shape our everyday lives.
