Author: Anna Gawlita

Is the plane a symbol of modernity and freedom, or rather catastrophes, assassinations and deep political divisions? In the Polish pavilion at the 58th Venice Biennale, the artist Roman Stańczak literally turns the luxury jet over to the other side, looking for a universal gesture. Registration of the creative process is the starting point for a story about the dramatic fate of the artist who, after many years of life exclusion and non-existence in the world of art, returned to activity, almost immediately realizing the sculpture on the most important artistic event in the world.

A seemingly normal afternoon in the city gets disrupted as passers-by are temporarily unhinged from their daily business. A man lying on the pavement becomes a problem not only for the local tenants, but also medical services and the police.

“The Polish thing” is a 10-episode program about the most important achievements of national design. It was prepared for the centenary of regaining independence by Poland. “The Polish thing” presents usable items, characteristic for a given decade, reconstructs the history of their creation, shows functions in space and presents creators and designers. It is a story about the recent history of Poland, a sentimental and fascinating journey presented in a modern form.