Designed for success

This month at the Galeria Artinfo.pl gallery in Fabryka Trzciny, Poland's budding contemporary interior design talents are on display with the exhibition "Polskie Drogi. Dizajn 2003-2007." Works from the past five years by well-known Polish interior designers and newcomers to the scene will be on show.

The industry has made tremendous strides in recent years, and although Polish design is less celebrated domestically, Polish designers are making their presence felt abroad. Some 70 percent of Polish interior-design products, including furniture, is targeted at foreign markets.

"Polish designers who want to succeed in Warsaw make their way through Paris," said Agnieszka Gniotek from Artinfo.pl, an art-focused web portal and the organizer of the event.

She added that although the Polish design sector has great potential and abounds in outstanding artists, it lacks the recognition and support of the state. Without it, the industry will not reach its full potential, she said.

The exhibition's organizers stressed the significance of the industry's rapid development, especially when it comes to furniture. Several foreign furniture companies have established manufacturing centers in Poland, drawn by the country's low production costs.

These factories will grow as the market develops. Organizers said new ideas are needed to help Poland's designers compete on the international market.

The expectations of the exhibition's organizers are simple. "We want to create a feeling of snobbery for good design [in Poland]," said Gniotek.

The exhibition will be held on September 25 at Fabryka Trzciny, ul. Otwocka 14, Warsaw. For more info see www.artinfo.pl, www.galeria.artinfo.pl