Last weekend the Design Centrum Kielce opened their space to the public. Their aim is to create innovation and new developments in contemporary design that can be linked to the industry.
The centre is offering residencies, curated exhibitions, support in artistic development and most of all a a way to communicate what design is. Especially for the Poles. Design Centrum Kielce wants to welcome artists, designers and ceramists from around the globe.
All this is happening in a former prison at Zamkowa Street, one of the oldest in Poland. During the years of German occupation, it was a German military prison. Now it is transformed into a buildings that meets the needs of two institutions: Design Centre Kielce and Center for Historic Memory.
The director of DCK is Marek Cecula, ceramist and curator, who was head of the ceramic program at Parsons School of Design until 2004 and is founder of Modus, a company focusing on innovatie ceramics.
In order to run a design centre you need to have a good team. from left to right: program manager Henryk Stawicki, Roland, curator Daga Kopala and Michael Eden who gave a lecture on bringing together traditional ceramic craft skills and digital technology.
Giulio Cappellini, owner of Italian design company Cappellini lecturing about his company. At the end of the presentation someone from the audience asked why he is working just with men. A simple question that made everyone wondering. I also never thought about the fact that the brand is ruled by man. Giuilo himself was overwhelmed by the question …
Michael Eden together with Giulio Cappellini, after their lectures I did a presentation on ‘How to found a place for contemporary design’ on the example of Depot Basel, a place for contemporary design, that we found last year in Switzerland.
Klara Czerniewska, assistent of curator and journalist Agnieszka Jacobson Cielecka, together with Polish designer Bashko Trybek
Ewa and Wojciech Trzcionka from Polish magazine and blog Designalive together with their two kids. Polish people love to have their kids around, even on design events.
Ake Rudolf, Independent curator, programme developer of DMY and his assistant Phillip
After the lectures and the ceremony we went for dinner to the renowned ‘Palacyk Zielinskiego’for cold beetroot soup, pierogi and other Polish fancy foods
Old pot new top by Julia Landsiedl
Vagueira by Bartek Mejor
XXXX_sofa by Yuva Ushidia
Sekitei by Nendo
Fukushima by Urbe
The title of the curated exhibition by Daga Kopola was ‘wzornictwo = design’, a old Polish term that is commonly used to describe something that is made equals the international word design. Underneath you can find a Cappellini chair that Giulio gave to the Design Centre Kielce as a gift
Exhibition view
Exhibition view
The old prison wall of ‘Wzgorze Zamkowe’ on the backside of the refurbished building