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Impact: USA
In 1988 AJW was invited to join the Industrial Design Division at the School of Art and Design, University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign, USA and two years later became the Head of the Program. Under his leadership the department underwent significant programmatic reforms and in 1993 became top-ranked design program in The Gourman Report: A Rating of Graduate and Professional Programs in American & International Universities.
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In 1997, in collaboration with Suryanarayana Vanka, AJW authored Material Tool. A selection Guide of Materials and Processes for Designers that was published by Prentice Hall, USA. This innovative CD-Rom software and accompanying hard-copy manual was designed as a handy reference as well as an instructional guide for choosing and sourcing appropriate materials and technological processes for effective design solutions. It also contained a student workbook to support the use of this resource in teaching and learning of design. In addition to being used by individual designers, the software was adopted as an instructional resource by several design programs in North America and beyond.
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Material Tool CD cover (1997).
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AJW’s own creative design at that time focused on furniture design and adding to the collection of lamps in the Natural Luminance Collection.
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AJW’s Natural Luminance Collection (1980-1993)
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Impact: Poland
AJW’s academic career began at his Alma Matter in 1959, where he eventually was offered the opportunity to develop the first design program stream at the Academy. With support and collaboration of Jerzy Soltan and Lech Tomaszewski, in 1977 AJW became the founding father and the first Dean of the Faculty of Industrial Design at the Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw and a mentor to a new generation of Polish designers. In 2018 the Faculty officially celebrated its 40th anniversary with an exhibition and reunion bringing together hundreds of former and current professors, graduates and students.
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As a member of the Solidarity movement, AJW was a contributor to the 1981 Independent Congress of Polish Culture that was interrupted by the declaration of the Martial Law in Poland. In 1984, AJW was elected as the Rector of the Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw, becoming the first ever designer appointed to this role at a post-secondary art institution in Poland and lead a major post-martial law transformation of the Academy.
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AJW’s dedication to and investment in art and design education in Poland between the late 1950s and 1980s paralleled his own creative work that resulted in some of the iconic Polish product designs of the century. AJW authored and co-authored works across many categories of design, including the exterior for the for AKAT-1 recognized as the world’s first computer; the Osa M-55 (“The Wasp”) scooter; the K-607 Industrial Excavator; travel and household irons; and unique lighting solutions. During his time in Poland, he also designed exhibitions, including Polish Pavilions at the Sao Paulo Art Biennial in Brazil and successfully competed in international design contests, claiming a 1983 ICSID prize in Kyoto, Japan for a System of Orientation in the City co-authored with Roman Duszek, Jerzy Porebski and Jacek Surawski. Many of AJW’s designs from this era are now featured in the collections of prominent Polish museums of art and design, including the National Museum in Warsaw, the Museum of Art in Lodz, The Museum of the Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw, and the Museum of Technology in Warsaw.
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The AKAT-1 exterior design (1959)
Considered by experts as the world’s first “computer” designed by Jacek Karpinski was a differential equations analyzer based on transistors. The exterior was designed by AJW in collaboration with Emil Cieslar, Olgierd Rutkowski and Stanislaw Siemek and was internationally praised for design that “Innovatively merge all functions in a congruent and attractive form that anticipated the future trends.”* The AKAT-1 is in the collection of the Museum of Technology in Warsaw, Poland*P. Lipinski, 2014. Geniusz i swinie. Rzecz o Jacku Karpinskim. JanKA. p. 136
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ICSID award in Kyoto (1983)
During his many international travels, AJW recognized the challenge faced by visitors trying to find their way in the cities. This prompted his search for a system that could be standardized and globally implemented (irrespective of local languages). Bringing together a team of colleagues and graduate students: Roman Duszek, Jerzy Porebski and Jacek Surawski, AJW led the effort to design a comprehensive orientation system that was based on the geographic location, scale and distance from a city center. The project earned the 1983 ICSID design prize in Kyoto, Japan.
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Household Iron series (1972-1975)
AJW’s playful and contemporary designs of irons were developed for mass production by PREDOM, which at the time was the largest manufacturer of electric household appliances in Poland.
K-2506 modular cabin for construction machinery (1970s)
This K-2506 modular cabin was designed by AJW and commissioned by the Warynski state company, the largest manufacturer of excavators and power hydraulic systems for earth moving equipment in Poland, in the 1970s. The same, standardized cabin could be affixed to a variety of different excavator models and chassis.
M-55 motor scooter design (1960s)
This K-2506 modular cabin was designed by AJW and commissioned by the Warynski state company, the largest manufacturer of excavators and power hydraulic systems for earth moving equipment in Poland, in the 1970s. The same, standardized cabin could be affixed to a variety of different excavator models and chassis.
Natural Luminance Lamp Collection (1971-1993)
Early in his design career, AJW observed that, historically, lamp design seemed to be more focused on the structure or the aesthetic appearance of the lamp structure, and less on the resulting quality of light and ambiance. In 1971, this led to his experimentation with diverse translucent materials to investigate their potential to impact the intensity and direction of light. He initially focused on Styrofoam, attracted by its translucent potential and the possibility to recycle and re-purpose styrofoam flower pots which were very popular at the time. However, the high temperature of illuminated incandescent light bulbs placed limitations on this idea. AJW then shifted his focus to thin wood/veneer strips which depending on the type of wood and the thickness and arrangements of the strips opened up a potential for a new universe of lamps, each with a unique warm glow and luminescence. This experimentation led to AJW’s design of the Natural Luminance™ Lamp Collection which is available for purchase in the AJW Studio Shop.
Styrofoam Lamp. Styrofoam and metal (1971)
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MOMA
Throughout his career, AJW’s design and visual arts works were inspired by direct encounters with some of the most influential artists and designers of the 20th century. As the recipient of the prestigious Ford Foundation grant in 1962, AJW received permission to study in the United States and was invited to the studios of Alexander Calder, Alexander Archipenko, Isamu Noguchi, Charles Eames, George Nelson, and Saul Bass. These interactions with the most prominent movers of the art and design world at the time resulted in AJW’s artistic explorations that caught the eye of internationally renowned art critics and collectors including curators at the Museum of Modern Art in New York (MOMA), leading to his work being acquired for the MOMA collection.
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The Mask. Black and white photograph
AJW (background) with Alexander Calder at his studio (middle) in 1962. Alexander Calder is recognized one of the most important sculptors of the 20th century, best known for his aesthetic mobiles.
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Musical Instruments. Ink on paper (1962) part of MOMA collection
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New York #2. Ink on paper (1962)
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Musical Instruments #3. Ink on paper (1962)
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Musical Instruments #4. Ink on paper (1962)

International Recognition

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Entering the 1957 International Competition for the design of the Auschwitz-Birkenau Monument became a defining moment in AJW’s artistic journey. This submission (co-designed with friend Andrzej Latos) was selected by the prestigious international jury chaired by Henry Moore as one of the top 7 finalists out of 426 designs presented by accomplished artists from around the world. This exceptional recognition of AJW’s creativity led to him being granted a Master’s of Art degree from the Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw.  As one of the two youngest laureates of the competition, along with Helmut Wolf from Germany, AJW was offered the prestigious 6-month scholarship from the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs that allowed AJW a rare opportunity during that time to travel outside the iron curtain to Italy. Upon successful completion of this scholarship,  AJW received another recognition: the Ford Foundation grant that allowed him to travel to the USA and expand his education through visits in the studios of some of the most influential artists and designers of the 20th century.

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This design of the memorial featured boulders of different sizes inscribed with the names of the Holocaust victims who perished at Aushwitz lined up along the path that the prisoners took on the way to the crematoria, creating a “March of Names.” The names were to be inscribed in the languages/using the alphabets reflecting the origins of all the victims.  The different sizes of the boulders were a reference to both the young and the elderly who were killed at Aushwitz. Boulders were selected instead of statues to allow relatives of the victim to imaginatively superimpose the identities of their relatives onto the boulders so that everybody could have an intimate and deeply-personal reflection and experience.

Various newspaper clippings announcing AJW’s design being selected as a top-7 finalist in the competition

The “March of Names” was to culminate at the end of a vast, artificial ravine where a large, unnamed split stone was to be found. This was to symbolize the tragic end of the names, and represent the site where the victims of Aushwitz met their final resting place. Beyond the ravine there was a solid,  vertical wall with a single stone urn, blocking the landscape to emphasize the finality of the journey and inviting a chance for reflection and solemn commemoration of the victims).

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Early Inspiration
AJW has always been fascinated with design in nature and the infinite, creative possibilities of human imagination. His experimentation with photography allowed him to explore the theme of “associations” – ways in which the visual world can be re-interpreted through attentiveness and creative power of the human mind. One of his related photographic works, The Mask (1956) gained international acclaim and was published in Life magazine in the USA, the Science et Vie in France and Wiedza i Zycie (Knowledge and Life) in Poland. Photography has remained an important creative medium for AJW throughout his life and his photographic works are available for collectors through the AJW Design Shop
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The Mask. Black and white photograph
While visiting the Warsaw Zoological Museum, AJW came across this insect and was fascinated by its human-form associations, prompting him to develop the image through photography. The photograph was acquired for print in “Life” Magazine (May 11, 1962 edition).
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Kapusta. Black and white photograph (1956)
Another association-driven photograph, the pattern and contrasts of the red cabbage cut in half, reminded AJW again of something mysteriously human. The strong contrast between the colors elicited a deep association response, prompting this photograph.
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Wspominjac Kobro. Black and white photograph (1957)
Katarzyna Kobro along with her husband Stanislaw Strzeminski are among the most famous artists of the Polish Avant Garde art movement before the Second World War. This photograph was not a traditional photograph, but rather an experimental printing process within a dark room (a converted closet in AJW’s home) where drops of ink between 2 glass lenses were magnified and then printed on paper using the photographic process to create these mysterious shadows that elicited an association with the sense of “movement” characteristic of Kobro’s sculptures.
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Movement Harmony. Hanging Installation (1958)
Capturing expressions from “movement” was a theme that continued throughout AJW’s early artistic explorations. The Movement Harmony exhibition featured a handing canvas and writing implements that would generate a unique pattern depending on the movements introduced by the user.
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Beginnings
AJW began his studies of art in 1952 at the Institute of Art History, University of Warsaw, Poland. A year later he was admitted to the Faculty of Sculpture at the Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw where in addition to traditional sculpture, he started experimenting with photography, film, and installation. In 1959, at the time of the political “thaw” in Communist-era Poland, he joined the first post-war trip of Polish art students abroad. This tour of Italy afforded AJW a direct, influential exposure to the world beyond the iron curtain and the opportunity to study classical art as well as the emerging art of the Modern era.
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Madonna. Sculpture from plaster (1953)
The Madonna sculpture was created by AJW under commission by the Congregation of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary convent in Chotomow, Poland.
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Reclining Figure. Plaster of Paris cast (1958)
Reclining Figure was one of AJW’s student projects during his studies at the Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw. The project was to create a sculpture inspired by the figure of a nude female model.
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Untitled sketch. Pencil on paper (1959)
Hand-drawn sketch from AJW’s studies trip to Florence as a recipient of the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs scholarship.