Institute of Industrial Design, Warsaw [Instytut Wzornictwa Przemysłowego IWP]

The IWP was one of the first institutions promoting design in Europe after the Second World War. It was established in 1950 by Wanda Telakowska (1905–85), an artist and dedicated cultural manager who directed it for many years. Advocating the idea of ‘beauty, every day and for everyone’ she demanded that even the most ordinary object be well designed, beautiful, and highly functional. The Polish interpretation of modernism in the 1950s and 60s was largely defined by the IWP. For example, its screen-printing studio was known for printed textiles featuring fresh and attractive patterns, designed by its own in-house artists. The well-equipped ceramics workshop produced prototypes for industrial porcelain factories, along with its own limited series for retail sale. The IWP was also active in research, education, and publishing.