This is our eleventh review of Graduation Projects. While this year’s formula did not depart from the previous year’s, it does not mean the jury’s discussion ran a predictable course, or that we might not expect changes in the year to come. The MA and BA graduation project entries were submitted by the four Visegrad countries organizing the event. The 2D and 3D works were submitted independently; forty pieces were selected representing an equal number in each category: graphic design and industrial design. In this competition distinctions are not classified, and no awards are assigned. Recognition comes in the form of publication in the pages of Slovakia’s Designum, Czech Republic’s Typo (both print and electronic versions), and Polish 2+3D. The winners also take part in exhibitions at the Castle Cieszyn and at DMY Berlin; this year an exhibition is planned for Budapest and Prague as well.

See winning designs.

The jury this year included Marcel Benčík and Sylvia Jokelová (Slovakia’s 1977); Czesława Frejlich, Wojtek Kubiena; Jacek Mrowczyk, Mariusz Sobczyński, and Kuba Sowiński (Polish quarterly 2+3D); Katarzyna Pełka (the Castle Cieszyn); Krisztina Somogyi (the Hungarian Plusminus Visual Intelligence); and Filip Blažek and Linda Kudrnovská (Czech magazine Typo).

Each year the jury handles a record number of submissions, even so this year was exceptional with 357 entries compared to last year’s 284. Graphic design represented 208 works, and industrial design 149. Czech students sent in 55 submissions, Poles 236, Slovaks 23, and Hungarians 43. While Poland and Slovakia submitted a majority of 2D designs, the industrial design category was dominant among the Czechs and the Hungarians.

Exhibitions of Graduation Projects 2010/2011

Cieszyn Castle
ul. Zamkowa 3a
1 February – 3 March 2012

Polish Institute in Prague
Malé náměstí 1
&
Gallery Czechdesign in Prague
Vojtěšská 3
13 March – 13 May

DMY International Design Festival Berlin
Airport Berlin Tempelhof
Columbiadamm 10
5 June – 9 June

Exhibitions curator:
Anna Zabdyrska