“Regeneration”: “We Are the Weather” installation by Alicja Patanowska and presentation of Polish design in Justus Lipsius building

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.

Their works show Poland’s fresh and modern face, which in 2025 returns to the Presidency of the European Union as an essential player co-determining its future and security.

Curated by: Aleksandra Kędziorek

“We Are the Weather” installation by Alicja Patanowska (Justus Lipsius building, Brussels)

Alicja Patanowska’s “We Are the Weather” installation will be presented in the atrium of the Justus Lipsius building. Its central motif is water, which is a symbolic life source and a metaphor for interspecies interdependence.

The installation consists of three complementary elements that create a narrative about the need for cooperation and solidarity in the face of global climate challenges. The fountains tell the story of climate change from the perspective of water: the cobalt’ water catchers’ remind us that water is a priceless resource that needs to be cherished, shared and protected collectively, while the composition of ceramic tiles forms a visual story about its limited availability. The work encourages reflection on our interdependence, solidarity and cooperation – critical values in pursuing a safe and sustainable future for Europe.

The installation’s title was borrowed from Jonathan Safran Foer’s book “We Are the Weather: Saving the Planet Begins at Breakfast” (2019).

The exhibition design: Supergirls Do Design (Matylda Halkowicz, Marta Szostek)
Partners: Dekoma, The Eugeniusz Geppert Academy of Art and Design in Wrocław

Alicja Patanowska (b. 1983) is a potter, visual artist, designer and doctor of the arts. She graduated from the Academy of Fine Arts in Wrocław, Poland (PhD) and the Royal College of Art in London (MA). Her works are part of the art and design collections of the National Museum in Krakow and the Shanghai Museum of Glass, among others.

A presentation of Polish design, graphic design and illustration in the Justus Lipsius building

Interior design: Katarzyna Baumiller

Polish architect Katarzyna Baumiller designed the space. 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.

Featured brands and designers:

Agnieszka Bar, Bluba Studio (Kajetan Luteracki), Comforty (Maja Ganszyniec), Dérive, The Good Living & Co., Hasik Design Studio, Malwina Konopacka, MOST (Alicja Bielawska, Barbara Janczak, Antonina Kiliś, Anna Libera, Ana Vostruchovaitė), Mozi Studio (Monika Gradzik), NODI Studio,  NODI x Witka Studio, Noti (Tomasz Augustyniak, Nikodem Szpunar), NÓW. Nowe Rzemiosło (Anna Bera, Jakub Święcicki), Pani Jurek, Rafa Ceramic (Ewa Baraniewska), SALAK Studio, Mati Sipiora, Siup Studio, SPLOT (Edgar Bąk, Dominika Krogulska-Czekalska, Zofia Strumiłło-Sukiennik), Studio Szpunar (Kamila Szpunar), Magdalena Szmydtke, Arkadiusz Szwed, ULTRAlight, ULUM (Małgorzata Schulz), Vivid Colors Studio (Paweł Zajiczek), and VZÓR (Roman Modzelewski).

Artwork and posters (courtesy of wall-being) by:

Kaja Gadomska, Magdalena Komar, Alicja Patanowska, Małgorzata Szymankiewicz; Hekla Studio (Monika Proniewska, Paulina Ufnal), Marcelina Jarnuszkiewicz, Ada Jarzębowska, Olga Szczechowska, Ola Szpunar, and Zoe (Małgorzata Gurowska, Agata Szydłowska).