Magda Beneda’s utility items are genuine pieces of art. However, beautiful forms are not their only advantage. They are made by the best Polish manufacturers, so they have a guarantee of quality and if taken care of, they will serve us for years. Porcelain cups, silk scarves, umbrellas, cabin suitcases and even pocket squares. Selection is wide and the design is colourful, consistent and locally inspired. The artist’s works present mainly Gdańsk, Gdynia and Sopot. And all this takes place in a small Atelier in the “Gallery of Various Arts” (“Galeria Sztuk Różnych”) at 101 Ogarna Street in Gdańsk.
Meeting the arts for breakfast with Magda Beneda
As it is with applied art, image is the starting point. For Magda Beneda, an artist from Gdańsk, everything started with painting. From the very beginning, however, the assumption was to create art relatable to most people. Art that would be worth admiring, but above all, one that could be used every day. The cups were the first to be made.
– My first painting was a view of the Grand Hotel in Sopot. During a vernissage, a good friend of mine, owner of one of the restaurants in Sopot, asked me to make a cup with this painting. Inspired, I directed my steps to Lubiana, where the most beautiful porcelain is being made. Then I made espresso cups – says Magda Beneda.
Porcelain made by Magda Beneda can be placed in the dishwasher, as it is made using a technique that makes the paint part of the porcelain. Because this, the design is durable and the material is safe, because during use we do not eat paint, which unfortunately might happen when dealing with cheaper products. Magda Beneda’s porcelain will serve us for many years – for black and red letter days alike.
– I just assumed it must be a utility thing. Not craftsmanship, but a mass-produced item. I have always been fascinated by Bauhaus as a phenomenon, i.e. the translation of high art into industrially produced things. The second assumption was that it had to be local and Polish. I believe that we should support and promote one another – adds Magda Beneda.
An elegant gift from the Tri-City
Magda Beneda’s products are a good idea for a gift from the Tri-City. They have a local pattern and character, and at the same time will not be condemned to just standing on a shelf and looking good. What’s more, with the porcelain you get an elegant box designed by the artist, so the purchase is gift-ready.
Beneda’s cups are recognised all over the world. People send the artist pictures from places like Rome, Japan or Oslo. Some of them, inspired by pictures on cups, fell in love with the Tri-City and decided to come here.
Items can be purchased in several ways – either by visiting the “Gallery of Various Arts” or on-line at magdabeneda.pl. International shipping is also available.
Gallery of Various Arts – Galeria Sztuk Różnych
As we enter the small Atelier located in the Gallery of Various Arts, porcelain will be not the only thing we see. Magda Beneda listens to the “voice of the people”. When a demand arises, the artist tries to meet it. This is how silk scarves from Milanówek, umbrellas, suit cases, bags, and recently even cabin suitcases were created, which turned out to be a sales hit. You can also order print-outs of the paintings.
– I love to paint, it’s my great passion. The image is always the starting point. I am a graphic designer by education and I had always known that I wanted to create applied art. So I make prints of my paintings and place them on everyday objects. That’s how art sneaks into our homes. And if it’s on a cup, bag or scarf, it follows us every day. It makes people’s lives more colourful – adds Magda Beneda.
When we cross the threshold of the “Gallery of Various Arts”, apart from Magda Beneda’s products we will also see pictures and albums of famous Gdańsk photographers – Zbigniew and Maciej Kosycarz. So apart from a beautiful cup or scarf we might find another gift with Gdansk in the background, either for ourselves or for someone close to us.
