Polish Crafts Hit London
Somerset House is presenting "Metamorphosis – Craft from Poland" featuring contemporary Polish crafts and marking a historic debut for the country's creative industries on the international stage. The exhibition runs until March 1 and offers a rare window into modern European craft innovation.
The exhibition was curated by Corinne Julius, a British journalist and curator specializing in contemporary craft, and designed by the London-based multidisciplinary design studio MM-L, founded by architects Miśka Miller-Lovegrove and Roman Lovegrove. The project was hosted by the Creative Industries Institute (Poland) in partnership with the Polish Cultural Institute in London and On&On Designs. "Metamorphosis" showcased the work of nine Polish artists, focusing on material innovation across ceramics, glass, wood, paper, and metal. Featured ceramicists included Alicja Patanowska, Monika Patuszyńska, and GRÔPK-Marcin Kuberna. The exhibition also presented wood sculptures by Anna Bera and Maciej Gąsienica Giewont. The presentation challenged traditional notions of Polish craft by including experimental works. Marcin Rusak Studio exhibited its well-known resin-based pieces, Katarzyna Krej displayed delicate glass installations, Agata Marchlewicz showed bold paper cut-outs, and Formsophy presented works cast from liquid-aluminium. This showcase was part of the prestigious Collect art fair, an annual event organized by the Crafts Council at Somerset House that attracts international collectors, curators, and interior designers. The fair is a significant global marketplace for sourcing contemporary craft and design, featuring work from living artists made within the last five years. The debut follows the successful UK/Poland Season in 2025 and highlights the nation's growing influence on the international design stage. Poland has a deep heritage of skilled craftsmanship, particularly in furniture, which is a multi-billion dollar export industry for the country, and ceramics, with traditions like Bolesławiec pottery dating back to the Middle Ages. The international recognition of Polish craft is growing, with the country's centuries-old basketry traditions recently set to be added to the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. This broader cultural context underscores the deep roots of the innovation on display at Somerset House.
