The 2nd Ceramics and Glass Fair in Bolesławiec brought together few exhibitors, but it changed the sleepy rhythm of the city’s summertime life in its center, namely in the representative Market Square. The owner of the private fine ceramics company “Dana,” Mr. Janusz Jakubowski, clearly stood out with his display, and we asked him for an interview.
—How do you assess this important event on a local scale?
—I have mixed feelings. I do not hide my disappointment at the absence of an exhibitor such as “Ceramika Artystyczna,” which, although it has lost its monopoly position in the production of unique stoneware, should have shown its achievements and latest exhibits on such an occasion, promoting a plant distinguished with the “Teraz Polska” mark. One cannot disregard the family city that for several decades has promoted the CPLiA institution with all its heart and commitment, lending it its coat of arms and flag. Throughout the world, such privileges are paid for with considerable sums to the coffers of the local community; here, people make faces and refuse… Something is wrong here, and it is worth returning to these matters in a public forum, perhaps during a session of the Municipal Council…
—Do you have your own, distinct vision of a similar event?
—Yes, I have many contacts abroad and have seen a great deal at our western neighbors’. These are not yet real trade fairs: there is a lack of professionalism in their organization, as well as the scale, dynamism and color typical of such events. Praise is due for the idea, but the execution is worse. A large advertising balloon could have been suspended over the Market Square; some part of the historical collection of the Museum of Ceramics should have been presented in some form; and meetings and extensive discussions with dozens of ceramic-product manufacturers should have been held beforehand. Trade fairs are always a kind of promotion and competition; ours is a polite decorative forum. I tried to demonstrate the process of decorating my own products on site, which is why, for example, Małgorzata Śliwińska, a decorator trained at a ceramics school, painted decorative plates before the audience. I wanted, and still want, to become seriously involved in this event together with my colleagues in the trade, but our voice must be heard and appreciated. After all, we are the ones creating the fair and a new tradition in the city’s social and cultural life.
—The “Głos” editorial office will help convey your opinions, and perhaps the situation will improve next year. Beginnings are always difficult, and criticism is colored by emotion. Perhaps we can now turn to your achievements, because we were impressed by the size, aesthetics and richness of the selection at the “Dana ” fair tent.
—Just one more supplementary sentence: in 1996, I am ready to organize, on the occasion of the Bolesławiec Ceramics Fair, an outdoor painting and ceramics workshop in a camping format for students of art academies from Wrocław and Lodz. They would work on practical decoration and original, unique creations. The benefits are indisputable, including for the promotion of the city and the fair. We must not become ossified; we have to develop.
“Dana” already produces around 250 fine-ceramics designs, and each month another three to five new products are added. The new plant on Lubańska Street was built in a record time of two and a half months, that is, at lightning speed. I employ 40 people; the company shop is located in Czarna—right beside a busy international route—and is crowded with German tourists. Our own promotional video, available at the fair, shows not only the company’s achievements but above all the beauty of fine ceramics and the company headquarters themselves: everything here has a European dimension and bears the mark of the new times. The impressive surroundings of the building—silver spruce trees, lawns, hedges, two ponds with fountains and live fish, and decorative flower beds made from wooden carts—all this can please the eye and sets a standard beyond the region. I proceed from the assumption that one should not be ashamed of the company headquarters. We managed without bank loans; friends and acquaintances lent us money, and the result is satisfying.
The pattern room is impressive, as are the interior of the spacious fine-ceramics manufacturing building, the work of the young women painters, and the aesthetics of the offices and staff facilities. This really can be compared with Western Europe. What next?
—My adventure with art and ceramics has already lasted 20 years. A tunnel kiln and gas firing offer the opportunity for extensive experimentation and for improving production. Alongside undeniable personal satisfaction, the company’s genuine export expansion matters. I have created another oasis of beauty in my city and am realizing my own creative fantasies—isn’t that the fullness of life? I create original things, have many unique designs, and promote ceramic art. Next year I will become involved in our Bolesławiec Ceramics Fair to a much greater extent. My own business is flourishing, so why should it be any different with the promotion of the city?
—We wish you every success and believe in your success.