Chapter 2 – In the Name of Avant-Garde

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IN THE NAME
OF AVANT-GARDE
1920s

The interwar period is an extremely exciting time in the history of Poland. Finally an independent country, Poland has the opportunity to face its past as well as the challenges of the future. Widespread social changes go hand in hand with changes in art, architecture and culture in general. On the one hand, designers are nurturing their new found traditions, on the other, they are looking towards the future. Avant-garde artists bring with them slogans of functionalism and modern art, which begin to impact everyday life.

FORM AND FUNCTION

As it turns out, not everyone was delighted with Poland’s spectacular success at the World’s Fair in Paris. The Polish avant-garde community, namely members of the BLOK group (1924), thought that tapping into traditional folk art did not accurately present the newest trends in Polish art and design. In 1926 in Warsaw, two opposing design groups were formed. The Spółdzielnia Artystów ŁAD (ŁAD Artists’ Co-operative) was heir to the concepts put forward by the Kraków Workshops. The Praesens group (1926), an initiative created by architects, graduates of the Architecture Faculty of the Warsaw University of Technology and modern artists, on the other hand, wanted a clean break from traditional forms. Their interests focused on the industrialisation and standardisation of the construction and design of everyday objects.

"A book's cover that is slightly scuffed. On a black background, there is a graphic of a white blotched shape. The book's Polish title is displayed in red characters below: 'Wadysaw Strzemiski, Theory of Vision.' "
Cover of Theory of Vision by Wladyslaw Strzemiński, 1958
"An abstract blotchy form sculpture. The object has a grey outside and a white interior. "
Spatial Composition (9), Katarzyna Kobro, ca. 1933. Muzeum Sztuki w Łodzi
"The cover of the magazine 'Praesens.' A written sentence and five vertical rectangular shapes of various sizes are included. Some letters and forms are black, while others are beige. 'Praesens, No. 1' and 'prize: 3 zloty and 50 grosze' are printed in beige type, while 'Warszawa' and 'A Magazine For Modernists' are written in black. "
Cover of PRAESENS magazine, 1926
A 'BLOK' magazine's title page. The letters are sloppily printed in black on a white background. This is a low-quality piece of paper. 'BLOK: A Magazine For the Artistic Avant-Garde, NO.2, Prize: 3.500.000' is printed in Polish at the top of the page. There are a few brief articles about the situation of artists in Poland. A black-and-white photograph of a large caterpillar tractor can be found at the bottom of the page.
Cover of BLOK magazine, no. 2, 1924
A little white sculpture in the shape of an abstract arch with a vertical towering line next to it. It is made of steel painted white.
Spatial Composition (9), Katarzyna Kobro, 1928. Muzeum Sztuki w Łodzi
A sculpture created with a variety of materials. Though the shapes may resemble some everyday objects, it is an abstract work of art. There is an egg-like object in the center with what appears to be a long, thin blade beneath it. There is also a hanging small black square next to it.
Suspended Construction 1, Katarzyna Kobro, 1921. Muzeum Sztuki w Łodzi

The Praesens group took American and European theories of modernity and tried to make them work on Polish soil. In 1928, Praesens became the Polish representative of the Congrès Internationaux d’Architecture Moderne (International Congresses of Modern Architecture). The concepts of functionalism found their place not only in designs for large apartment complexes, but also in private homes. Architects built themselves homes based on the same principles, i.e. the Brukalski Villa or the Lachert House. In Poland, modernity meant that form came from function.

THE BARE MINIMUM

In the 1920s, designing flats for the poorest part of society took centre stage all over Europe. It was the main topic of the 2nd International Congress of Modern Architecture in Frankfurt in 1929. In 1930, Praesens presented an exhibition entitled ‘The Smallest Flat’. In four newly constructed blocks of flats, designed by the husband-and-wife duo Barbara and Stanisław Brukalski, Praesens presented as follows: distinguished designs by international and Polish architects (Building A), different types of materials (Building B) and 13 fully-furnished and equipped small flats (Buildings C & D), in which designers presented new ways of thinking about interior design such as multifunctional furniture. It was the first of many such presentations in the years to come.

In an isometric view, a drawing of a flat design is shown. A corridor leads to a room with a modest, simple bed and a flower-adorned table. In the corner, there is a garbage can. The figure of a black-haired woman stands in the corridor. Yellow, grey, white, and blue are used to simplify the colours. On the walls, they create minimalistic geometrical patterns.
The design of a flat by Władysław Strzemiński, 1931
A drawing of a design of an exhibition pavilion is shown in an isometric view. The room is minimalistic with only a few colours: red, white, black, blue and blue. One window can be seen.
The design of the interiors of an exhibition pavilion, Henryk Stażewski, 1931, scans
"A white story metal structure intended to display a variety of modernistic chairs. On various levels of the construction, twelve distinct seats are displayed.They are made of different materials, but most of them are designed with a simplified minimalistic approach."
Furniture designs from the interwar period: chair by Bogdan Lachert; chair by Stefan Sienicki; chair produced by Konrad Jarnuszkiewicz & Co; tables produced by MEKO. Photo from The Future Will Be Different exhibition at Zachęta National Gallery in Warsaw, 2018, photo: M. Krzyżanek
"Opposite each other are two triangular three-legged tables. The left one is white, whereas the right one is blue. "
Triangular Tables, designed by Janina Grossman and Irena Reicher, 1929-1933, produced by MeKo Colour Furniture Studios
An isometric view of a kitchen design in black-and-white illustration. On the right side, there is a sink and a garbage can. Next to it is a kitchen table, as well as a tiny stool and an oven. The main section of the room is packed with various-sized cupboards, while the left half of the space is designated for storage and may be covered behind the curtain.
Kitchen by Barbara Brukalska, Kobieta Współczesna magazine, no. 36, 1928
A black-and-white illustration of a modern kitchen with a young black-haired woman. She's standing between a kitchen sink and an oven, near to a stool. In her right hand, she is holding a little instrument, most likely a knife. All parts of the kicthen furniture are numbered, from 1 to 17.
Kitchen by Barbara Brukalska, Kobieta Współczesna magazine, no. 36, 1928
The kitchen from the previous image reconstructed in white. A sink and a garbage can may be found on the right side. A stool, a table, and a slew of cabinets are arranged in the center. An oven and a gas stove are located on the left side of the kitchen.
A reconstruction of a functional kitchen design from 1927, Barbara Brukalska; from The Future Will Be Different exhibition at Zachęta National Gallery in Warsaw, 2018, photo: M. Krzyżanek

MODERNISM HIGH UP

In the years 1928-1931, a new residence for the President of the Republic of Poland, Ignacy Mościcki, was built in the town of Wisła by architects Adolf Szyszko-Bohusz, Andrzej Pronaszko and Włodzimierz Padlewski. Despite the passage of almost a century from when it was built, its modern character remains invariably captivating: from the building’s simple exterior, to each detail in its interior. The use of the language of modernity in a residence for the highest position in the country was a very bold move at the time.

The design of the residence plays with geometric forms and is finished with flat roofs (high rooftops were added later), large windows which open out onto the beautiful forest landscape and let in plenty of light. Thanks to this light, the interiors are bright and seem even more spacious. The modernist furniture is made of bent steel pipes, designed by Włodzimierz Padlewski and built by Konrad Jarnuszkiewicz i S-ka, which was the main manufacturer of metal avant-garde furniture at the time.

A black and white photograph made in winter. It depicts a section of a villa with flat roofs and simple geometrical patterns. The building's right side has three stories, whereas the left side has only two. Above the entryway, a balustrade may be seen. A woman dressed in a fur coat stands nearby.
Presidential Castle in Wisła by Adolf Szyszko-Bohusz Włodzimierz Padlewski, Andrzej Pronaszko, 1929-1931. National Digital Archives
"A winter black and white shot with a lot of snow visible. It's a general view of a flat-roofed modernist mansion. The structure is enormous. The left half has two stories, the right three, and the middle area has up to five. There is a tall mast on top of the topmost roof with a folded flag on it. "
Presidential Castle in Wisła by Adolf Szyszko-Bohusz Włodzimierz Padlewski, Andrzej Pronaszko, 1929-1931. National Digital Archives
The photograph depicting the villa in Wisla was taken from afar, showing the whole building.
Presidential Castle in Wisła by Adolf Szyszko-Bohusz Włodzimierz Padlewski, Andrzej Pronaszko, 1929-1931. National Digital Archives
A black and white photograph depicting the interior of a modernistic building. The corridor is lengthy and there are many big flowers on the left side. Next to them are round transparent tables accompanied by minimalistic chairs. On the right side are large windows and rows of smaller flowers. Simple chandeliers are hanging from the ceiling.
Presidential Castle in Wisła by Adolf Szyszko-Bohusz Włodzimierz Padlewski, Andrzej Pronaszko, 1929-1931. National Digital Archives
"A black-and-white snapshot of a Wisla modernist villa's recreational room. A square chair with an ashtray and several books is located on the left side. There's a black grand piano next to it, just by the window. On the right, there is a table with four chairs around it. "
Presidential Castle in Wisła by Adolf Szyszko-Bohusz Włodzimierz Padlewski, Andrzej Pronaszko, 1929-1931. National Digital Archives
"A photograph shows the inside of Wisla Castle in black and white. The setting appears to be a conference room, complete with a large rectangular table draped in a white tablecloth and a vase in the center. On two sides of the table, there are rows of chairs and one chair at the end. "
Presidential Castle in Wisła by Adolf Szyszko-Bohusz Włodzimierz Padlewski, Andrzej Pronaszko, 1929-1931. National Digital Archives
"A monochromatic snaphot shows a room with a bed in the centre. On the right, there is a nightstand, and in the backdrop, there is a writing desk with a small photograph on it. A clear round glass table with a lamp sits on the left side of the bed. There are three flaconns with flowers in the room."
Presidential Castle in Wisła by Adolf Szyszko-Bohusz Włodzimierz Padlewski, Andrzej Pronaszko, 1929-1931. National Digital Archives

The furniture is clearly divided into functional units. Light and modern, the quality and the choice of materials used – wood, plush, leather – emphasises the rank of the endeavour. The elegant lighting, in the style of Polish Art Deco, was designed by Edmund Bartłomiejczyk and manufactured by Antoni Marciniak’s Factory of Electric Chandeliers based in Warsaw. 

The Presidential Palace in Wisła, a building designed for Poland’s highest political echelons, is a unique example of the use of the language of modernity in design and architecture. The palace shows a new approach to design – and new relationships between the designer and the manufacturer. It is a living example of the shift from applied arts to functional design in Poland, a design gem which we can admire to this day.

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