The Faculty of Industrial Design of the Jan Matejko Academy of Fine Arts in Kraków is one of the seven Faculties in Poland offering a major in Industrial Design. In 2024, the Faculty is celebrating its jubilee of 60 years in operation. Last year we returned to educating in a cycle of five-year full-time MA studies. The two-level studies (BA and MA) are still being conducted until expiry. The newly developed didactic program provides students with the possibility of creating their individual path of education, as well as more liberty in planning their participation in the Erasmus + program. We strongly emphasize collaboration with external businesses and cultural institutions. Designs made by students in the course of studies are frequently implemented in production, awarded, and presented at exhibitions.
The Faculty realizes its rich program within four main departments focusing on an ergonomic, socially responsible, and conceptual design of product, space, and color. A crucial didactic element is visual communication design, realized within design basics, typography, packaging, visual identity, sign systems including heraldic signs, and book design, as well as visualization of processes, application, and digital product design. Experiments play a significant role in this work.
The exhibition presents static works in the form of boards, on which every participant individually responded to this year’s keynote: Human Touch, and there have also been works in the scope of motion design. In the Studio of Typography and Packaging Design, students carry out a series of assignments, based on selected animation techniques (i.e. stop motion, classical animation, composting, etc.). All designs share a common feature of typography. It is letters in motion, under transformation and experimental formal procedures that constitute the axis for the visual character of the entire design. Works demonstrated at Typozone are examples of film credits, and presentations of selected typefaces. For the majority of students, these classes are the first opportunity to face assignments based on animation. During the design process, they become familiar with issues connected with scenario and narrative drafting, as well as building the dramaturgy of motion pictures by means of music and sound effects. Thereby, students can expand their design workshop and acquire new specific skills, useful in their future professional careers.
We are grateful to the organizers for another invitation issued to students and tutors of the Academy of Fine Arts in Kraków to participate in the TYPOZONE 5 exhibition.
Barbara Widłak
Dean of the faculty
A Nemzeti Kulturális Alap Iparművészet Kollégiuma által támogatott 104106/03085 azonosító számú A TIPOZONA 5. című csoportos kiállítás megrendezése