Study Trip to Krakow

This year’s residential to Krakow in Poland was both emotional and inspiring. The Polish hybrid tradition of art and crafts and of art and design was evident in all our visits to galleries and museums throughout the city. The Ethnographic Museum was particularly informative showing how these regional folk traditions have manifested themselves in their contemporary image making particularly in the classic poster design school.

A large group of our students took the opportunity to visit Auschwitz-Birkenau about 40 minutes from Krakow. The scheduled visit was very difficult and emotionally challenging for staff and students alike dealing as it does with the carnage and devastation inflicted by the Third Reich. 

Photography students were encouraged to make work whilst in Poland responding to the new environment and discussing how this can change approaches and inform new ideas and opinions. They also spent time with Polish photography tutors and students. Dr Jerzy Gawel a director at the Krakowskie Szkoly Artystczne organized an interesting day culminating in an invite to the final years students graduation show.

Design students spent a day at the The Jan Matejko Academy of Fine Arts, or Kraków Academy of Fine Arts where Rector, Professor Adam Wsiołkowski made them most welcome. A film was shown outlining the philosophy of the Academy and a tour of the facilities by Joanna Kaiseer-Plaskowska, Professor of Graphic Design was most enlightening. Discussions are now underway exploring the potential for student exchange through the Erasmus programme. The potential for staff mobilities is another possible option.

Further meetings with artists and designers resident in Krakow took place including visits to Studio Bomba a multidisciplinary Design company and Karol Gadzala a typographic illustrator.

Students from the Foundation Degree in Television Production worked alongside their Polish counterparts from the Jagiellonian University to realise six short documentary pieces. Filming abroad proved a particularly challenging experience - but with such expert collaborators it was made easier as we were given easy filming access to Oscar Schindler's factory, museums and art galleries throughout Krakow - as well as being schooled in the fundamentals of Polish cuisine!