“Regeneration”: presentation of Polish design, graphic design and illustration in the European Parliament in Strasbourg

Regeneration is a cohesive theme that brings together this presentation of contemporary Polish art and design in the buildings of the Council of the European Union and the European Parliament in honour of Poland’s presidency of the Council of the European Union. Full of positive energy and geared toward the future, the presentation speaks to the need to care for our shared resources, to build resilience, practice interpersonal and inter-species solidarity, and foster a sense of security and comfort. It includes works by Polish artists, often of the youngest generation, boldly entering the international art and design scene.

The presentation created a space for relaxation and quiet work, designed by Katarzyna Baumiller and featuring the best contemporary Polish design. She is an architect, a graduate of the Faculty of Architecture at the Warsaw University of Technology, co-founder of the BaumillerKossowska studio, and currently the owner of Katarzyna Baumiller Studio. She has created and co-created countless interior design projects, always pinpointing a space’s distinctive character and creating unique concepts for each specific space, many of which have been presented in the press in Poland and abroad. In 2024, she was included in Architectural Digest Poland magazine’s AD100 list.

Katarzyna Baumiller says: "I was tasked with taking uniform, anonymous office spaces with no distinctive features and no distinctive identities and using them as a blank canvas, so to speak. As such, they form the background for aesthetic interventions. Regeneration is visible here in many places. It is in the choice of fresh colours and soft hues which are their to create a sense of well-being; in the Jacquard tapestries which tamp down the acoustics and soften the interior; in the recycled materials, which once were waste and have now been reborn as brand new innovative and brilliant objects and furniture designed by talented Polish designers. In addition to the furnishings and decorative elements, the spaces are complemented by works by Polish artists. Their selection showcases the contemporary Polish design and craft scene, which continues to flourish and develop. There is also a nod to the past, which is an ode to regeneration and rebirth. A presentation of iconic Polish porcelain figurines from the 1960s, which have now gone back into production for another generation to appreciate and admire. Each of these creative decisions have sought to draw attention to the importance of comfort – the quality of a space enshrouded by the values of harmony, gentleness and imagination. I believe that these values have truly regenerative powers."

Featured brands and designers: Aleksandra Zawistowska for Szkło Studio (OBJEKT Gallery), Alicja Patanowska, Arkadiusz Szwed, AS Ćmielów Porcalain Manufactory (L. Tomaszewski, H. Jędrasiak, M. Naruszewicz, H. Orthwein), BAAURA, BIMER LIGHT, BY HUMANS SPACE®, DÉRIVE STUDIO, Filomena Smola (OBJEKT Gallery), FORMATE for Katarzyna Baumiller, Gwiazda Studio, Katarzyna Baumiller for MOST, Lines and Lines, Maciej Gąsienica Giewont, Malwina Konopacka, Marcin Motyw (MOTYW PRINT), Mati Sipiora, Magdalena Szmydtke, Monika Patuszyńska (OBJEKT Gallery), Pani Jurek, Paweł Zajiczek for Vivid Colors Studio, Piotr Kuchciński for NOTI, Pawlak & Stawarski for NOTI, Studio Mozi, Studio Speculo, The Good Living&Co., Totem Studio, UAU Project, Wanda Zawidzka-Manteuffel.