X nów - new craft in shop windows in Kraków’s Kazimierz and Podgórze districts
- Dodano dnia:
The Nów. New Craft Poland invites you to the fourth edition of the X NÓW event. After three editions in Warsaw, the contemporary craft exhibition will now be featured in the shop windows of Kraków venues.
All of this is made possible by the festival “Sztuka do Rzeczy – Design in Kraków.” This year’s edition of the festival takes place under the theme “Adaptations”, which perfectly reflects the artistic interventions by Nów artisans, temporarily transforming the shop windows of service venues into unexpected exhibition spaces. At the same time, the entire phenomenon of new craft is also a result of the adaptation of creators to contemporary realities, where they often operate at the intersection of handicraft, design, and art. The outcome of these transformations is a collection of unique, handcrafted decorative and functional objects made of glass, textiles, metal, ceramics, and wood by creators from the Nów. New Craft Poland.
Until the end of November, the objects can be viewed in the shop windows of Kraków venues in Kazimierz and Podgórze: at the LOKATOR bookstore, LUKTUNG restaurant, EMIGRANT COFFEE café, the FestivALT association headquarters, MASSOLIT BAKES bakery, ORSI restaurant, BINOKLE optical salon, Wasalaa boutique, and RZECZY SAME store. Each individual display interacts with or complements the interior design of the venue, while together they create a cohesive walking route.
Exhibition dates: November 4–30, 2024.
Exhibition opening as a walking tour: Monday, November 4, 2024, at 5:00 PM.
Start: księgarnia LOKATOR, ul. Mostowa 1
Guided tour with a Polish Sign Language interpreter: November 16, 2024, at 11:00 AM.
Start: księgarnia LOKATOR, ul. Mostowa 1
Makers:
Kalina Bańka-Kulka, Monika Dąbrowska-Picewicz, Katarzyna Harasym, Paweł Jasiewicz, Olga Milczyńska, P55 Mirrors, Marcin Skalski, studio tafla, Jakub Święcicki, Cyryl Zakrzewski, Magdalena Zarychta
Media patronage;y: Vogue Living @vogue.polska
Partnerzy: Miasto Kraków, Sztuka do rzeczy – Design w Krakowie @sztuka_do_rzeczy, FORMY @formy.xyz
Organizer: New. New Craft Poland @now.nowerzemioslo
Curator: Jakub Przyborowski @jakub_przyborowski
Graphic design: Jakub Święcicki @_kuba_swiecicki
Photos: Michał Massa Mąsior @massaphotographer
Co-financed: City Kraków
OBJECTS BY LOCATION ON THE MAP:
1. LOKATOR X NÓW, ul. Mostowa 1
Kalina Bańka-Kulka, Communicating Vessels, 2024
Technique and Material: Soda glass, hand-formed, collage.
This is a personal project that tells the story of the interconnected relationships of four women across generations—about the creation of bonds, motherhood, devotion, transience, and sacrifice. It also reflects on the role of men in shaping these relationships, on mistakes passed down from generation to generation, and on love within the family circle—or perhaps its absence and the longing for it.
We are shaped by the family we come from — we learn how to build relationships, acquire values and beliefs, and experience a wide range of emotions. A family is a system of communicating vessels: everything that happens to one of its members affects the others, and each new system is built upon at least two preceding ones.
By using fragments of photographs from a family album and a delicate material such as glass, the artist refers to the fragility of life—the sensitivity shared by each of us: grandmother, mother, and daughter. She poses a question: do we have a chance to escape our “glass bubbles” if we have been trapped inside them for years? Can we ever break free, or must something eventually shatter?
2. LUKTUNG, Rynek Podgórski 11
studio tafla, XF2, 2024
Technique and Material: Mosaic made of coloured clay ceramics, smalti, glass, and glazed porcelain.
The mosaic is inspired by the work of Wojciech Fangor, a leading representative of Op Art. The piece refers in particular to his paintings and mosaics that adorn the Warszawa Śródmieście railway station. The mosaic was created using materials such as colored fine ceramics, glazed porcelain, and smalti.
IG: @studio_tafla
3. EMIGRANT COFFEE, ul. Kalwaryjska 1
P55 Mirrors, mirrors Blue Cob, Magenta Lit, Yellow Cad serie Color, 2023
Technique and Material: Silver backing on Optiwhite™ glass, acrylic paint, black MDF board.
Colors have power! They serve many functions in human life, from expressing emotions and communication to aesthetics and creativity. They are an important part of our daily experience and influence our feelings and behaviors. The Color collection was born from a need for visual stimulation, and the time of year when the idea emerged—a gray, winter month of February with limited daylight—fostered this desire. The collection is minimalist, yet sophisticated, thanks to irregular details and color accents.
The mirrors are made using the silvering technique, invented in the 19th century. The irregular shape of the reflective surface illustrates the very process of creation, during which the silvering solution spreads across the glass pane.
The natural irregularity of the mirror, combined with a uniform background, resonates with simplicity and minimalism. The surface of the mirrored layer contrasts with the geometric, regular shape of the mirror, adding an intriguing sense of dynamics.
IG: @p55mirrors
4. FesitvALT, Józefińska 9
Katarzyna Harasym, Neocrystals, 2024
Technique and Material: Slumping, crystal glass.
Neocrystals is an upcycling project. The limited series of vessels and vases was created after the death of a close family member of the artist. A crystal vase had been severely damaged, but due to sentimental reasons, the artist did not want to discard it. This led her to remelt old crystal vessels using the slumping technique. By giving them a new shape, she leaves traces of grinding and additionally sandblasts them. The matte glass objects appear like ghosts of the previous crystal vessels, “stretched through time.” Each vase is unique and tells a different story. The transformed crystals are given a new life.
IG: @harasymkaska
5. MASSOLIT BAKES, ul. Targowa 3
Olga Milczyńska, TUT, 2022
Technique and Material: Hand-formed stoneware, glazed.
TUT vases are created by combining smaller and larger cylindrical forms, resulting in playful, biomorphic shapes. The artist experiments with form, sometimes adding typical vase finishes to the otherwise simple yet irregular shapes. The choice of colors is intentional as well: the dark clay is coated with off-white and blue, a combination so characteristic in the history of ceramics. The vases are hand-formed from dark stoneware clay. They are suitable for long-term use with flowers and are also dishwasher safe.
IG: @olga.milczynska
6. ORSI, ul. Solna 1
Cyryl Zakrzewski, Nexus Lamp, 2024
Technique and Material: Birch plywood, artist’s own technique.
The Nexus collection is a unique series of organic objects that blur the line between sculpture and functional form. Each piece of furniture is made from multiple layers of plywood or solid wood, which are glued, then hand-carved and polished until a smooth, flowing form is achieved. The main concept of the collection is a vision of harmony between technological civilization and nature.
The name “Nexus,” meaning “network” in Latin, carries multiple layers of meaning within the context of the collection. The most apparent reference is to the network of tree roots and fungi, which serves as the primary inspiration for the organic shapes that form the aesthetic axis of each piece. A deeper significance lies in the reminder of the inseparable connection between humans and nature—the beauty of craftsmanship, functionality, and form is meant to inspire an exploration of this bond. “Nexus” can also signify the fusion of art, technology, and craft: each element combines artistic design, technological precision, and artisanal skill, resulting in unique, aesthetic, and functional works.
IG: @cyrylz_design
7. BINOKLE, ul. Nadwiślańska 11
Paweł Jasiewicz, Kulopenisy No.5, No.6, No.7 (literally “Ball Dicks”), 2022
Technique and Material: Turned and torched beech wood.
The wooden objects were created spontaneously, without consideration of purpose or functionality. The work involves the need to handle the lathe chisel, the scent of rotting wood, the warmth of fire, and the choking smoke reminiscent of a smokehouse. Shaping and continuously altering the form is the driving force behind the work. From a piece of a robust branch, through a polished phallic, spherical shape, to degradation in fire. The passage of time and the inevitable end are central here. The K.P. series was created from a 200-year-old beech tree that fell during the spring storms in the Botanical Garden of the University of Warsaw.
IG: @pawel_jasiewicz
Magdalena Zarychta, IMPRINTS I, II, III, 2020
technique/material Hot-formed glass, blown into a preform, then hand-shaped and pressed into a bas-relief.
Just as traces of the past are imprinted in stones when fossils are formed, the glass by Magdalena Zarychta is marked with an organic stamp. She uses various botanical finds, as well as her own bas-reliefs and reliefs, for this purpose. She explores the possibilities of different textures, allowing them to become the key element of the sculptural composition. The artist creates short series of unique forms, both blown and hand-shaped.
8. Wasalaa, ul. Nadwiślańska 11
Monika Dąbrowska-Picewicz, Bowls from serie Moments, 2022
Technique and Material: Hand-built stoneware using the coil method, glazed.
The Moments series of sculptural bowls is inspired by the shapes of stones and structures observed in nature. The artist is fascinated by oval stone forms, which she collects from a nearby river and from various interesting locations. Shaped by water, they tell their own stories, and over the years evoke memories connected to specific places, landscapes, and moods. Their shapes sometimes resemble ready-made sculptures. The oval forms serve as a pretext for the introduction of color and texture, while the subtly indicated function adds an element of everyday life.
Moments are also instances of decision-making connected with exploring ceramic material. Each stage of the process continually suggests new possibilities, which Monika strives not to overlook.
IG: @monika.dabrowska.picewicz
9. RZECZY SAME, ul. Nadwiślańska 11
Marcin Skalski, Candleholder, 2024
technique/material Hot-forged iron, ebonized oak, polished brass sheet.
The object refers to historic wall sconces, composed of a polished brass mirror and a steel candle holder. One of the inspirations was also the shape of ancient Egyptian bronze mirrors. The piece combines forged elements forming the candle holder structure (crafted with hammer and anvil, welded and hand-finished), hand-carved oak legs, and a mirror cut from brass sheet that accentuates the warmth of the candle flame.
IG: @stonesforge
Jakub Święcicki, Pillows from serie Monostriped landscape, 2024
technique/material Faux chenille quilt, machine stitching, cotton, linen, down and feathers.
Pillows from serie Monostriped landscape combine natural inspirations with a unique technique of creation. Their pillow covers are made from dead-stock materials, i.e., fabrics unused in production, as well as second-hand materials previously used for other purposes. This is a conscious choice that minimizes environmental impact—the textile industry is one of the most polluting sectors, ranking second among industries with the most negative effect on the planet.
Each pillow cover features an original pattern created using the faux chenille quilt technique, giving it a relief-like, distinctive texture to the touch. The regular stitching of the pattern is intentionally disrupted by loosely hanging threads, adding natural dynamism and imperfections that are the essence of handcraft.
The pillow filling is a tribute to ancient traditions—each pillow has been hand-stuffed with down and feathers to provide natural comfort and warmth. It is a return to the roots, when every decorative element was made with care, using available natural materials, in this case also sourced from recycled materials.
IG: @_kuba_swiecicki