The association Nów. New Craft Poland invites you to the third edition of the X NÓW project, taking place in Warsaw’s Powiśle district. Unique objects created by members of the Nów. New Craft association – representatives of contemporary craft – are showcased in the windows of partner venues located along Topiel, Tamka, and Kopernika streets.
For centuries, Warsaw’s Powiśle district was home to industry and craft workshops. In recent years, its character has changed dramatically – the area has transformed into a modern, dynamic, and diverse hub of urban life. During that time, craft itself has also evolved, moving away from the manufacturing traditions of old workshops toward originality, individual authorship, and artistic expression. The X NÓW project thus becomes a reunion between the district’s historic craftsmanship and the new, contemporary face of Polish craft.
The exhibition features furniture, textiles, and functional and decorative objects made of wood, glass, and ceramics. The artistic window interventions were created by the creative collective NOWY®ŁAD, the Kōgaku optical salon, BUSZ flower shop, jewelry boutiques Elfjoy and SARNA DESIGN, SOUL HAIR studio, Haratyk boutique, and Atelier HAWROT together form a cohesive exhibition route that engages passersby and invites them to discover what awaits in the next window. For one summer month, X NÓW transforms this part of the city into an open-air gallery of contemporary craft — accessible 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Makers:
Kalina Bańka-Kulka, Huba, Aleksander Oniszh, P55 Mirrors, Filomena Smola, Studio Tafla, Beata Szczepaniak, Jakub Święcicki, Tartaruga, Robert Wieczorek, Beata Wietrzyńska/In Weave, Cyryl Zakrzewski, Magdalena Zarychta
Opening of the exhibitions in the form of a walk: Friday, June 21, 2024, at 6:00 PM
Start: NOWY®ŁAD ul. Topiel 6/b
End: Atelier HAWROT ul. Kopernika 8/18
Exhibition dates: June 22 – July 21, 2024
Media Partner: Vogue Living
Event pertner: Winnica Kamil Barczentewicz
Organizer: New. New Craft Poland
Curator: Jakub Przyborowski
Graphic design: Jakub Święcickii
Photos: Matylda Polak
OBJECTS BY LOCATION ON THE MAP:
1. NOWY®ŁAD X NÓW, ul. Topiel 6
Kalina Bańka-Kulka, Sweets, 2019
Technique and material: blown glass, hand-shaped
The presented objects formally resemble empty, colorful packages of previously consumed products. Carefully crafted and vividly expressive forms take on a new role, transforming their original function. These useless containers, stripped of their contents, become objects of fascination in themselves — drawing attention and forming a collection of unique glass objets d’art.
IG: instagram.com/kalinabankakulka/
P55 Mirrors, mirrors Blue Cob, Magenta Lit, Yellow Cad serie Color, 2023
technika i materiał: podlew srebrny na szkle Optiwhite™, acril paint, black MDF
Colors have power! They serve many different functions in human life — from expressing emotions and facilitating communication to shaping aesthetics and creativity. Colors are an essential part of our everyday experience, influencing how we feel and behave. The Color collection was born from a need for visual stimulation, and the time of its conception — the gray, dimly lit month of February — only amplified that need. It is a minimalist yet refined collection,
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 reflective layer contrasts with the geometric, regular shape of the mirror, adding an intriguing sense of dynamism.
2. BUSZ X NÓW, ul. Tamka 34
Beata Szczepaniak, sculpture from the series Daydream, 2024
Technique and material: hand-shaped, engobed ceramics
This work is part of the Daydream series, which explores unrestrained thoughts and daydreaming—pleasant, soothing, and liberating experiences that, if overindulged, can lead one astray, detaching the dreamer too far from reality. The hallmark of the series is its intense colors and speckles, reminiscent of a rash.
IG: instagram.com/beata_szczepaniak_sculpture/
3. Kōgaku X NÓW, ul. Tamka 34
Studio Tafla, Fisk, 2022
Technique and material: mosaic made of colored-in-body noble ceramics, smalti, glazed porcelain, marble, and glass
The Fisk Mosaic is a handmade wall decoration. Its inspiration comes from a water environment—a lake. The diverse materials, shimmering in the light, evoke the sunlit, rippling surface of the water, while the abstract forms may suggest elements of the lake’s fauna. The mosaic is set in a black, powder-coated steel frame and features wall-mounting hardware on the back for easy hanging.
IG: instagram.com/studio_tafla/
Magdalena Zarychta, Air Vessel I, Air Vessel VII, 2018
Technique and material: hot-formed glass, blown into a preform and then shaped by hand, combined with colored pigments or metal particles
The works are part of the series titled “Air Vessels” and depict forms with irregular shapes, made from thick, transparent glass. They command attention through their size and mass, seeming to live an independent life via the vibrating structure contained within.
In the massive, thick walls of Air Vessel I, colorful lines are captured. Sometimes they spread, covering almost the entire height of the form; other times, they adorn it with delicate streaks or speckles. These lines emphasize the slenderness of the shape, lending it a sense of lightness. They add dynamism, seeming to flow slowly down the walls or shoot upward from the base toward the top of the vessel.
The color in Air Vessel VII results from the release of metal oxides at high temperatures during the shaping process. The hues are created by combining colored oxides with the glass mass while blowing it into the mold. The colors are not mere surface ornamentation but an integral part of the structure.
IG: instagram.com/magdalenazarychta.artist/
4. haratyk X NÓW, ul. Tamka 36
Jakub Święcicki, linen_knots_002, linen_knots_003, 2024
Technique and material: ribbed macramé made of cotton cord and linen twine
Linen_knots are double-sided ribbed macramés, continuing and expanding the artist’s original “Knot” textile collection. The series was inspired by a research and artistic residency undertaken by the craftsperson, focused on the raw material in the linen fields and fiber-processing workshops in France. The textile was produced sustainably, generating no post-production waste, and the process itself had a deeply meditative character.
IG: instagram.com/_kuba_swiecicki/
Beata Wietrzyńska / In Weave, Linesfrom the serie Bauhaus Inspired, 2023
Technique and material: double-layered fabric (also called double-weft) made of linen and wool
The Lines panels were woven on a linen warp using the double-layer fabric technique. They feature two types of weft — raw and lustrous linen, and matte, slightly coarse wool. The diptych is part of a series of textiles inspired by Bauhaus design, based on simple, graphic forms, with a repeating rhythm of pattern and color. The fabrics are decorative and can be hung on a wall, but in the spirit of Bauhaus, they also have a practical function, such as a table runner. Each panel has a unique, double-sided pattern: one side emphasizes wool with richer colors, while the other side showcases natural-colored linen. One edge includes a woven tunnel on the loom, allowing a rod to be inserted for wall mounting.
The wool yarn used in the Bauhaus Inspired projects comes from leftover ends of Italian production runs. From the manufacturer’s perspective, these remnants are unusable waste, but for the weaver, they are a fully valuable raw material. Using these fibers in unique textile projects aligns with the less waste philosophy.
5. elfjoy X NÓW, ul. Tamka 36
Filomena Smola, Closer, 2021
technique/material Blown glass, hand-shaped
Absence and longing transform into shapes, taking on tangible forms. Acute loneliness and an intense need for closeness can strongly attract, yet they are held back by fear and repelled by resistance to dependence, engulfment, and destruction. We desperately seek comfort in connection, an ideal union, but the fragile hope for contact slips away, turning into an unbearably resonant sadness, hidden beneath a glass dome.
What kind of world would it be where no one is heard, no one touches, and no one looks at anyone?
IG: instagram.com/filomenasmola/
6. SARNA DESIGN X NÓW, ul. Mikołaja Kopernika 23
Huba, Szkatułka kurinuki No.132/23, Kurinuki box No.166/23, 2023
Technique and Material: Kurinuki technique using stoneware and a glaze made from local stone and ash from various tree species.
The boxes are made using a technique called kurinuki, which originates from Japan. This is a rare and little-known method. The objects are sculpted from a solid block of clay by cutting and pulling away fragments to preserve its characteristic raw texture. The piece is then cut open and hollowed out inside. The resulting box serves as a container for small objects or incense. The forms of these boxes are inspired by geology. The artists aim to bring out the full spectrum of textures in the clay, which can be soft and plastic, but also earthy and rough, reminiscent of rock. Transparent glaze is used to highlight the achieved texture. It is made from local stone, clay, and wood ash according to an original recipe. A distinctive feature of this glaze is its delicate craquelure and its tendency to run in drops during firing. The greenish hue is achieved through a specific wood-firing technique. The firing process lasts approximately 24 hours, reaching temperatures of up to 1250°C.
IG: instagram.com/huba.studio.ceramics/
7. SOUL HAIR BY SANDRA KPODONOU X NÓW, ul. Tamka 49
Robert Wieczorek, Fidem, 2019
Technique and Material: Jute fabric made using the [technique]. mieszanej – splot diagonalny, odwrócony sumak
This is one of the three parts of the triptych Faith, Hope, Love, which is part of a larger cycle titled “Non-Church Altars.” In this series, the artist focused on the sculptural possibilities of fabric. By using reversed sumac weave and diagonal weave, they achieved a bas-relief effect, transforming the flat fabric into a three-dimensional form. The inspiration for this cycle comes from a fascination with transforming and exploring a contemporary expression of universal values that should guide human behavior.
IG: instagram.com/robertwieczorekart/
Cyryl Zakrzewski, Organoid II, 2024
Technique and Material: Sculpture in birch plywood.
Sculpture with a lighting function. This is one of the first sculptures in a series whose central theme is the concept of animated matter. The object is meant to emanate pure life force in an amorphous form, captured in a moment of free growth or metamorphosis. It can be everything at once while being nothing, representing pure potential that may, in the future, take on a perfect form and function if needed.
IG: instagram.com/cyrylz_design/
8. Atelier HAWROT X NÓW, ul. Mikołaja Kopernika 8/18
Aleksander Oniszh, Chunky, 2022
technique/material Technique and Material: Solid beech wood, shaped by hand and machine.
Tartaruga, Swimming pool, 2023
Technique and material: handwoven kilim made of recycled wool and hand-dyed wool, on a cotton warp.
The Swimming pool wool kilim is a handmade decorative textile from the NORD-SUD collection, designed by Wiktoria Podolec. The collection is a record of memories from travels—the result of many colors, scents, fleeting emotions, and scenes captured only in memory. It represents an attempt to confront the entirely different experiences of two closely connected individuals, a creative and nostalgic journey aimed at capturing the lights of the North and the burning sun of the South.
Jadzia Lenart and Wiktoria Podolec spent years gathering inspiration, repeatedly returning to their favorite places. Their memories were first transferred onto paper and then woven thread by thread into the form of a kilim. The kilim itself is a durable and timeless textile, which makes the pieces from the NORD-SUD collection akin to postcards or personal mementos from their travels.
The wool yarn used for weaving was obtained from recycled sources. It is a leftover from mass carpet production and cannot be reused in industrial processes. However, it serves as an excellent material for handcraft. The choice of the kilim weaving technique also allows for minimizing waste from a single textile to less than a handful of biodegradable wool and cotton scraps. Some of the wool yarn has been hand-dyed, so each piece may exhibit slightly different textures and shades within each color block.
Don’t miss the latest news, new products, and event updates. Subscribe to the Nów. New Craft newsletter:
Ta strona używa plików cookies. Kontynuując przeglądanie strony, akceptujesz treść Polityki prywatności.
