Beyond the Muse: Poland’s Design Renaissance Has a Feminine Face

What happens when you stop looking at objects and begin looking through them? “Looking Through Objects,” opening this May at the Design Museum Brussels, dares to answer that with 16 sharp, sensuous, and unapologetically intelligent design voices—all women, all Polish, all redefining the aesthetic and cultural logic of form.

Curated by Agnieszka Jacobson-Cielecka and Gian Luca Amadei, the show captures more than a national moment—it’s a statement of intent. Through ceramics, textiles, furniture, and experimental forms, these designers map a territory where art, tech, and craft don’t just coexist, they flirt. Think minimalist wood that whispers of folklore, or sleek metal that challenges industrial masculinity. Each piece, whether functional or poetic, resists easy interpretation—and that’s the point.

For the culturally curious, this is no niche affair. Backed by the Polish Institute in Brussels, in collaboration with institutions like the Royal College of Art and SWPS University, Looking Through Objects isn’t just about showcasing work. It’s about rewriting the narrative of who gets to define design in Europe today.

In a world where masculine creative identity is still often shaped by the myth of the lone genius or the visionary disruptor, these women suggest something different: collaboration, material empathy, radical pragmatism. They don’t shout; they seduce with precision and purpose.

For the modern man with taste and intention, this exhibit offers not only a window into contemporary Polish culture but a mirror for reflecting on his own sensibilities—design not as domination, but as dialogue.

Looking Through Objects
May 9 – September 28, 2025
Design Museum Brussels
Place de Belgique 1 / Belgiëplein 1, 1020 Brussels
designmuseum.brussels