5^th Edition of the Competition

Students from the fine arts school in Bydgoszcz participating in the project changed the Competition’s question of “What’s new in art” into a deeper one: “Is art accessible to all?”.

The aim of the project was to present architecture in a sensory way, based on the students’ observations and interpretations, with consideration of the audience’s expectations. The project helped the young people to experience the design work with hands on.

Is art accessible to all? Students addressed one of the most important social issues. A Sensory Art Walk through the historic part of Bydgoszcz was an idea to solve the problem. Today, we already know that the idea should be developed and promoted globally!

The lead teachers: Monika Pyszczyńska and Joanna Czołgosz started their engagement in the project in January 2024 with an active promotion of the concept among the architecture and industrial design school groups (students from the ‘space arrangement’ and ‘art design’ courses). They presented the key assumptions of the project, with particular emphasis on its educational and social role.

At the school, discussions were initiated on the accessibility of art and architecture to blind and sight-impaired people, as well as debates on building the sensitivity of people with special needs in the context of art and architecture. In their responses, students mentioned the need to promote mindfulness and sensitivity towards architecture among every audience, regardless of their limitations.

The topic aroused great interest among the young people and provoked them to creative activities. A group of students was selected – the participants and at the same time the contributors of the project. They selected a few landmarks in the Bydgoszcz Old Town and started their research. The teachers accompanied their students and provided them with knowledgeable support in taking the photographic documentation of the selected landmarks, offered practical guidelines, and mentored them.

The school partnered with an independently living blind person, Dorota Halaburda, and the Louis Braille Cuyavian and Pomeranian Special School and Education Centre for Blind and Sight-Impaired Children and Youth.

The students attended lectures and debates moderated by Dorota Halaburda on how people with disabilities perceive their surroundings. They participated in workshops and classes held by teachers from the fine arts school in Bydgoszcz (3D print, architecture imaging, illustrating, composition). The classes were held in climatic premises of the school’s library to show the illustrations of architecture to the attendees. Alicja Witkowska and Dorota Lipowska prepared a discussion panel. The illustration and composition workshops were led by Łukasz Wiese. Dr. Agata Ciesielska-Shovku was responsible for the art printing workshops and introduction to the traditional printing techniques. And Franciszek Otto was the instructor at the workshop in preparing files for 3D printing.

The project team had a study visit to the Invisible House in Toruń, a place where the world is presented without involving the sense of sight and visitors are guided around the facility in complete darkness.

Photo. facebook.com/InvisibleHouseTorun

For the purposes of the project, the school labs were equipped with a 3D printer, filaments, materials for gel printing, a plotter and a UV lamp. These tools were used to select architecture landmarks to be analysed and processed graphically, and to prepare spatial and sensory images and a topographic map of the landmarks and streets of the Old Town in Bydgoszcz.

Prototypes of the works were consulted with the teachers and residents of the Cuyavian and Pomeranian Special School and Education Centre. The students prepared an exhibition presenting spatial and sensory images and a mock-up created with the use of traditional (monotype, intaglio) and new techniques (digital graphics, 3D print). The outcomes of the project were presented in June 2024 at the BWA Gallery in Gdańska Street in Bydgoszcz.

 Photo: Mariusz Guć – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0 “Old Town in Bydgoszcz”

The project ended with a Curator’s Walk around the Old Town with the project participants, and a vernissage held in June 2024 at the BWA Gallery in Gdańska Street. At the exhibition, the project outcomes were presented. These included 2D and 3D graphics as well as postcards and spatial and sensory images designed as sensory cards that help sight-impaired and blind people to walk around the Old Market Square in Bydgoszcz. A 3D map presenting the geometry and form of selected architecture landmarks and their location was created. The project process was crowned with the publication of a catalogue.

In our story about the project, we revisit the question asked by the young people: “Is art accessible to all?”.

This is how we remember the final stage of the project and the visit to Bydgoszcz on the last day of the school year in June 2024. Join us on this unique walk around Bydgoszcz.

We gathered in front of the historic building of the State High School of Fine Arts as our starting point for a walk of historic sites in Bydgoszcz. We were invited by the contributors of the project called “Feel the art of the city” implemented by the State High School of Fine Arts in Bydgoszcz, awarded in the 5th edition of the “Wena” Grant Programme Competition of the Starak Family Foundation entitled “What’s new in art?”.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

On 21 June 2024 at 4 p.m., together with students of the fine arts high school in Bydgoszcz we embarked on a tour to (re)discover some historic sites in Bydgoszcz. We were invited by the contributors of the project called “Feel the art of the city” implemented by the State High School of Fine Arts in Bydgoszcz, awarded in the 5th edition of the “Wena” Grant Programme Competition of the Starak Family Foundation entitled “What’s new in art?”. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

From the left: Maria Nalewaj, grade 2, State High School of Fine Arts in Bydgoszcz, and Wiesława Giedrojć, Starak Family Foundation. Maria Nalewaj presents the project selected by her: Granaries on the Brda River. Activity as part of the project called “Feel the art of the city” implemented by the State High School of Fine Arts in Bydgoszcz, awarded in the 5th edition of the “Wena” Grant Programme Competition of the Starak Family Foundation entitled “What’s new in art?”.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mateusz Martek, grade 2, State High School of Fine Arts in Bydgoszcz, presents the history and architectural details of the Lloyd’s Palace in Bydgoszcz.
Activity as part of the project called “Feel the art of the city” implemented by the State High School of Fine Arts in Bydgoszcz, awarded in the 5th edition of the “Wena” Grant Programme Competition of the Starak Family Foundation entitled “What’s new in art?”.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Oleksandra Holynska, grade 2, State High School of Fine Arts in Bydgoszcz, presents the head office of mBank in Bydgoszcz as an example of modern architecture.
Activity as part of the project called “Feel the art of the city” implemented by the State High School of Fine Arts in Bydgoszcz, awarded in the 5th edition of the “Wena” Grant Programme Competition of the Starak Family Foundation entitled “What’s new in art?”.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

From the left: Patrycja Kujawińska, grade 2, State High School of Fine Arts in Bydgoszcz, and Wiesława Giedrojć, Starak Family Foundation. Patrycja Kujawińska presents the architecture of the 20 Stary Rynek tenement house.
Activity as part of the project called “Feel the art of the city” implemented by the State High School of Fine Arts in Bydgoszcz, awarded in the 5th edition of the “Wena” Grant Programme Competition of the Starak Family Foundation entitled “What’s new in art?”.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Spatial and sensory graphics, 3D print, 20 x 14 cm, created by Patrycja Kujawińska, a grade 2 student, State High School of Fine Arts in Bydgoszcz, inspired by the 20 Stary Rynek tenement house.
Activity as part of the project called “Feel the art of the city” implemented by the State High School of Fine Arts in Bydgoszcz, awarded in the 5th edition of the “Wena” Grant Programme Competition of the Starak Family Foundation entitled “What’s new in art?”.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

From the left: Inga Grabowska, grade 2, State High School of Fine Arts in Bydgoszcz, and Wiesława Giedrojć, Starak Family Foundation. Inga Grabowska presents the architecture of the 1 Batorego Street tenement house.
Activity as part of the project called “Feel the art of the city” implemented by the State High School of Fine Arts in Bydgoszcz, awarded in the 5th edition of the “Wena” Grant Programme Competition of the Starak Family Foundation entitled “What’s new in art?”.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Spatial and sensory graphics, 3D print, 20 x 14 cm, created by Inga Grabowska, a grade 2 student, State High School of Fine Arts in Bydgoszcz, inspired by the 1 Batorego Street tenement house.
Activity as part of the project called “Feel the art of the city” implemented by the State High School of Fine Arts in Bydgoszcz, awarded in the 5th edition of the “Wena” Grant Programme Competition of the Starak Family Foundation entitled “What’s new in art?”.

 

 

 

 

We stopped at the St. Martin and St. Nicholas Cathedral, a Sanctuary of Holy Mother of Beautiful Love. Then we continued to Mill Island and listened to stories about Rother’s Mills, “Przystań” Hotel and “Nova” Opera. A vernissage of the graphics, the mock-up and the 3D works at the BWA City Gallery in 3 Gdańska Street was our final destination.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Amelia Słowik, grade 4, State High School of Fine Arts in Bydgoszcz, presents the architecture of the St. Martin and St. Nicholas Cathedral, a Sanctuary of Holy Mother of Beautiful Love in Bydgoszcz.
A work by Amelia Słowik in dry needling technique, 41.5 x 29.5 cm.
Activity as part of the project called “Feel the art of the city” implemented by the State High School of Fine Arts in Bydgoszcz, awarded in the 5th edition of the “Wena” Grant Programme Competition of the Starak Family Foundation entitled “What’s new in art?”.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Karolina Banicka, grade 2, State High School of Fine Arts in Bydgoszcz, presents the architecture of Rother’s Mills in Bydgoszcz.
Activity as part of the project called “Feel the art of the city” implemented by the State High School of Fine Arts in Bydgoszcz, awarded in the 5th edition of the “Wena” Grant Programme Competition of the Starak Family Foundation entitled “What’s new in art?”.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hanna Szabłowska, grade 2, State High School of Fine Arts in Bydgoszcz, explains the architectural details of the “Przystań” hotel in Bydgoszcz.
Presentation as part of the project called “Feel the art of the city” implemented by the State High School of Fine Arts in Bydgoszcz, awarded in the 5th edition of the “Wena” Grant Programme Competition of the Starak Family Foundation entitled “What’s new in art?”.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In the foreground: work by Hanna Szabłowska, grade 2, State High School of Fine Arts in Bydgoszcz. Spatial and sensory graphics, 3D print, 20 x 14 cm. “Przystań” Hotel in Bydgoszcz as an example of modern architecture.
Presentation as part of the project called “Feel the art of the city” implemented by the State High School of Fine Arts in Bydgoszcz, awarded in the 5th edition of the “Wena” Grant Programme Competition of the Starak Family Foundation entitled “What’s new in art?”.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

From the left: Wiesława Giedrojć from the Starak Family Foundation listens to Matylda Zboińska (grade 2 student, State High School of Fine Arts in Bydgoszcz) explaining the architectural details of the “Nova” opera house in Bydgoszcz.
Presentation as part of the project called “Feel the art of the city” implemented by the State High School of Fine Arts in Bydgoszcz, awarded in the 5th edition of the “Wena” Grant Programme Competition of the Starak Family Foundation entitled “What’s new in art?”.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Vernissage of art graphics and spatial and sensory images of the Bydgoszcz Old Town architecture held at the BWA City Gallery in Bydgoszcz
Exhibition as part of the project called “Feel the art of the city” implemented by the State High School of Fine Arts in Bydgoszcz, awarded in the 5th edition of the “Wena” Grant Programme Competition of the Starak Family Foundation entitled “What’s new in art?”.

 

 

 

 

 

Each project contributor was responsible for a particular landmark. Their task was to tell the landmark’s story and present their original concept in the form traditional postcards created with the use of fine graphic and 3D print techniques. The students were preparing for the challenge for the entire year by attending different workshops led by teachers from the fine arts highs school in Bydgoszcz. The young people told us that they found the project as an enormously valuable opportunity to learn and experience the design process in real world, with the needs of specific audience in mind.

 

 

At the Gallery, we could see the tangible outcomes of the project: graphic art works, spatial and sensory images, a mock-up, and a video documenting all the project activities. The importance and social impact of the project in terms of making art accessible to all is huge, with special focus on the needs of blind and sight-impaired people.

 

 

“Feel the art of the city is both an educational and social project. The creative interpretations will enable the blind and sight-impaired people to take sensory walks around the Old Town in Bydgoszcz to discover spaces, structure and texture of the unique architectural venues”, says Joanna Czołgosz.

 

 

The students collaborated with the Louis Braille Cuyavian and Pomeranian Special School and Education Centre No 1 in Bydgoszcz. Blind people tested the spatial and sensory objects created by students of the art school.
At the vernissage, we met Dorota Halaburda, a blind person who worked with the young people.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Blind Dorota Halaburda is testing a 3D topographic map at the vernissage of graphic art and spatial and sensory images of the architecture of the Old Town in Bydgoszcz held at the BWA City Gallery in Bydgoszcz.
Exhibition as part of the project called “Feel the art of the city” implemented by the State High School of Fine Arts in Bydgoszcz, awarded in the 5th edition of the “Wena” Grant Programme Competition of the Starak Family Foundation entitled “What’s new in art?”.

 

 

 

 

 

“At the exhibition, we were not only allowed but even encouraged to touch the exhibits to fully comprehend the idea of the exhibition, the project and individual works”, said guest crowded at the vernissage.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Media: 

https://www.radiopik.pl/6,120989,poczuj-sztuke-miasta-uczniowie-bydgoskiego-plast?fbclid=IwY2xjawHFV5NleHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHbPV0lglNhIzwUeKV7P3Hin1EuGiKLylmysdQr8jsT869ndQvnK5u5hSow_aem_U2AYz3swS5dJ4l1Yho6Wlw

LEAD TEACHERS

Monika Pyszczyńska – teacher of interior design, a graduate of interior design at the Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw, founder of the VEIM Studio interior design studio. She presented a prototype chair at arenaDESIGN in 2016. Her paintings can be seen at the Officyna Gallery in Warsaw.

Joanna Czołgosz – teacher of space arrangement and design basics, graduate of interior architecture at the University of Technology and Natural Sciences (UTP) in Bydgoszcz. She runs the MODULO interior architecture studio.