Plantation is an installation created in an attempt to find a new, almost symbolic use for what has been discarded. The project is the result of the artist’s observations of the streets of London where she lived, and her general interest in the issue.  of waste. City night life leaves many traces, including drinking glasses abandoned in the most surprising places. In order to investigate this phenomenon, Patanowska spent several months, roving the streets of London between 4 and 6 am, photographing and collecting glasses abandoned at bus stops, rubbish bins, street benches and even shopping trolleys, fences and underground trains. The result of the project is an installation consisting of photographs and drinking glasses with porcelain elements placed in them. The ceramic objects have been designed and hand-made by the artist to allow their users to watch the growth process of both plant stems and roots. The wheel-thrown porcelain objects are unique and can be used with any type of drinking glass. This is how PLANTATION grows.

PLANTATION was created during Alicja Patanowska’s studies at the Royal College of Art in London. The project has been carried out since 2014. The shapes and sizes of subsequent installations are connected with the contexts and places where are built.

Tabor Bator Art Auction 2016 

Shanghai Museum o Glass 2014

Displayed in a number of places around the world, such as London, Seoul, Galway, Shanghai, Baku, Leipzig, Stokholm, Berlin, Milan, Wroclaw, the installation has made it to several art collections, e.g. Lord Mervin Davis’ and the Shanghai Museum of Glass, to name just a few.

The installation has been  recognized  with awards:
2019 – FRANZ Rising Star Project, Franz Collection, Taiwan, China
2017 – Gazeta Wyborcza WARTO Award, Visual Arts, Wroclaw, Poland
2015 – Highly Commended Award, BRITISH GLASS BIENNALE 2015, Stourbridge, UK
2014 – The Charlotte Frazer Main Award 2014, Royal College of Art, London

The architecture of the Plantation installation which refers to the idea of a greenhouse, has been created by Szymon Hanczar in cooperation with Magdalena Kasprzycka and Przemysław Słowik, with the support of New Horizons Association.
One of the most important elements of the installation are light and water, which focus the audience’s attention on the installation’s crucial component: the plants. Designers focused on highlighting the ceramic forms together with germinating plants. The effect was achieved by placing light sources inside the shelves on which the objects are displayed. Light passing through the water illuminates the roots and ultimately the entire object.

Initially, Plantation was rooted completely in the area of visual arts, but as a result of the enthusiastic reception, a line of products was made, basing on the principles of the original artistic project. Preserving the name for both the product and artistic action is aimed at underlining the fact that the areas of visual arts and design interpermeate.

See more about the product ︎︎︎