Basia Metelska Os. Batorego 4/3 60-687 Poznan Poland metba@wp.pll "Hi, my name is basia metelska. I am 24 and Polish. In September 2003 I received my MA in product design at the studio of professor Bogumi?a Jung, at the interior architecture and design department of the Academy of Fine Arts in Pozna?, Poland. During the first half of 2003 I was doing work experience at Jerszy Seymour design workshop in Milan, Italy. The academic year 2001/2002 I spent on a scholarship at the department of furniture and interior design of Edinburgh College of Art in Edinburgh, Scotland. Frankly speaking I do not perceive myself as a product or interior designer and feel kind of weird while hearing other people describing me that way. I just enjoy doing stuff, doing things! For me product design is one of the many ways of expressing my thoughts- now it is the closest way and I always have quite a personal, emotional approach to what I design. Since I finished studies my final project is being exhibited in Poland and abroad and I am- while still looking for a job in the field of product or industrial design, here or abroad- doing with my friend Ania Olzewska different kindsof part time design jobs, mostly interior design. My dream and plan is to learn as much as possible, gain a lot of work experience, set up with Ania our own design studio and do WHAT I ENJOY THE MOST JUST DO THINGS AND HAVE FUN! I used to consider being Polish as an insignificant incident in my life. But now in spite of regarding myself as a citizen of the world and no matter if I like it or not- I can see that being Polish has made a big impact on forming my self consciousness and my view of the world. I feel lucky because I was never discriminated against because of my nationality. Also I have never thought that being Polish makes my life more difficult- on the contrary- the fact that the first 10 years of my life passed in communism and that I have behind me more than 1000 years of an often tragic history of a great nation of Poles who are always rising from their defeats gives me incredible power. I do love Poles for their remarkable romanticism and ability of sacrificing life for the idea of freedom. But I do not like their inferiority complex towards the west and tendency to regard every foreign thing as better- this is my main concern in the context of accession to the EU. I would like Poles to stop being ashamed of their nationality and perceive it as a big value. I gained the most important part of my work experience at Jerszy’s in Milan and I am aware that I am not an expert of the Polish design scene- I’ve been trying to find my place in it only for a few months and the people I do appreciate a lot in my work are the following, regardless their nationality, Achile Castiglioni, Ettore Stossas, of course Jerszy Seymour and my professor Bogumi?a Jung. But it is obvious for me that the history of Poland had a huge impact on design. In the 20th century, Poland has been a free country for only 30 years, in a break between the two world wars and in the last ten years. So design has never been very important and it is necessary to rebuild it after the year 1989- the end of the communist era. The exception is graphic design- Poland has a really powerful poster design which is world recognized as a Polish poster design school. Poster design has evolved as a means of communist propaganda and on the other hand as a counterpropaganda to communism. The lack of continuity in design tradition, difficulties in finding roots in craft and its marginal social meaning are partly results of the tragic history of Poland. Fundamental feature of Polish design are the way in which it is taught- design is taught at academies of fine arts not at technical universities. The big plus of this solution is the sensibility of designers and their closeness to art, but the big disadvantage is that design is labelled as a purely artistic discipline and at the same time it is more distant from the industry. The lack of dialogue between producers and designers is slowing the progress of design. Only lately Polish producers have started to realize that good design can help them in defeating the competition. And a lot of foreign companies which invest in Poland are using cheap Polish labour and not our thoughts- intellectual resources and are working with projects which have been designed in their home countries. I am realistic and do not expect it will change after enlargement of the EU- of course I would love it to but I guess it will take much longer. Polish higher artistic education has got a tremendous potential in its well prepared tutors, who often happen to be practitioners themselves. But it does not give a possibility of postgraduate education- what while academies of fine arts are centres of the Polish design scene results in graduates feeling left out, and the design scene is a bit stiff, closed and deprived of their young energy. The situation of Polish industrial design graduates is similar to the rest of the world- only a small portion of them have got enough power, determination and luck to become a designer and do things. Knowing the situation of my friends abroad I am sure enlargement of the EU will not change it, we will have a border design market but still too many design colleges. I am uplifted and glad because of national ideas and organizations such as the EU. But I do hope that the reason behind it and reason for its enlargement is a human and it’s good. I hope that enlargement of the EU does not stand for the will of absorbing new cultures ready to buy, cultures to be designed. I am afraid of the American way of life- to survive it is necessary to sell, to sell you have to create a desire and a whole culture willing to buy that stuff. I hope the process of accessing the EU by eastern and central European countries will bring a positive impact for design; for sure the beginning will be difficult. High competition of foreign goods might destroy smaller Polish factories but I guess that in the end it will only make them stronger- it will stress the importance of good design, quality and promotion of a product. Without doubt design will play an importer role in our lives. I also think that the word “design” will be more familiar and better known for most people. My fears are connected with all of the people in general- I am afraid of heading towards a sort of hyper-activity. In the process of reaching tomorrow we forget who we are and what brings us pleasure. I think the future, which makes us strive and have expectations, does not exist. The future we think about today is not going to happen. Only now exists and we should do something today. I am not interested in the future- the history of my country has shown that sometimes the future did not come. I know I still have loads to learn, to see, to try, to do in order to be a better human and a better designer. For me the fundamental function of design is giving people happiness, even for a second. I know somebody may think I am so young and naïve but I believe it is functional to be a human and live. I will still be pushing forward, trying to make my dream come true and like David Bowie, I can live anyway, anyhow, anywhere I choose. I hope the EU will give me the choice. Definitely I will not give up. I WANNA ROCK!!!!"