The other day I went to a local UPS
access point to collect my package. The shop was closed although the sign on
the door clearly stated that it should be open. In the hope that a salesman
would soon appear from a toilet or nearby, I decided to wait.
I spent a very long hour in my car watching the neighbourhood, people on the street, listening to the radio, checking FB and hoping for the lazy salesman to magically appear in front of the store door.
Tough luck! He wasn’t as bothered as I was.
I spent a very long hour in my car watching the neighbourhood, people on the street, listening to the radio, checking FB and hoping for the lazy salesman to magically appear in front of the store door.
Tough luck! He wasn’t as bothered as I was.
I was hungry after working all day and
angry because of the situation I found myself in that I finally gave up and
went home.
Unproductive waiting time is in fact very productive - a little bird told me. And I have to say - it hit the nail on the head.
On the way back home one particular
part of my brain switched on and made me reminisce to the time of my communist
childhood. All of a sudden, similar to a movie tape, I saw pictures of people
queuing for hours in a long line outside stores waiting for all kinds of stuff.
Right after that I had this idea to
link the present with the past and to write this post.
So,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
for once let’s have a bit of exchange!
Today on display
THE BRIGHT SIDE OF COMMUNISM!
Yes, it does exist!
poster: Krzysztof Iwanski
SHORT INTRODUCTION
When Communism crashed into Poland I
was almost twelve. I was young enough to adapt to this New Reality but old
enough to remember the Old One. Although I cannot say I was unhappy as a child,
on the contrary, I still remember the Old One as a time of grey images lacking
of every day needs.
Lack of sweets, lack of toys, lack of
clothes, lack of colors, lack of anything.
This every-day-lack-of-anything was the
top of all kinds of adult conversations at that time. Everybody was constantly
hunting for something that was not available in any local shop. Sometimes for
weeks, but mostly for months or even years.
No wonder I grew up with the belief
that communism was a shitty period in Poland’s history.
Only twenty five years later and by
preparing with Aga the expo Crazy Polish Communist-Inspired Design did
I start to look at myself and the history of my country from a totally new
perspective.
TO THE POINT
Yes!
Communism was shit.
Yes!
It was grey and sad.
And
yes! We did not like it!
BUT…
And
yes, there is a but!
BUT at the same time
it was one of the most inventive periods in Polish history.
it was one of the most inventive periods in Polish history.
Do you want to know WHY?
Because this EVERY-DAY-LACK of almost everything
pushed us towards being a society that had to rely
on an EVERY-DAY-CREATIVITY program!
pushed us towards being a society that had to rely
on an EVERY-DAY-CREATIVITY program!
With almost NOTHING
we had to invent SOMETHING
in order to live in a BETTER SHIT!
we had to invent SOMETHING
in order to live in a BETTER SHIT!
And
yes! We Poles are extremely creative!
And
yes! We can make things happen!
And
yes! We are amazingly good at it!
And…
lucky us!
Not
all of the communistic projects went lost forever!
After decades of
hibernation on dusty attics or hidden drawers
they appear on the
market stage and are
now available to the audience they were destined for.
now available to the audience they were destined for.
CONCLUSION?
Vive le Communism!
although I'm happy that it's dead.
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