Ponglish Holiday

MA Graphic Design self-initiated project, 2022.

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The strong presence of Polish people within the UK, currently one of the largest ethnic minorities here, mostly demonstrates itself by the number of shops selling Polish and Eastern European products, including sections in major supermarkets. Since the first groups settled here after WW II, their cultural and social life centres in the churches and parish centres, where the traditional folk dances, singing, and the colourful costumes, characteristic elements of Polish folklore, were kept mostly out of sign for the British society. While the Notting Hill carnival, street markets full of African products, Hindu temples, the popularity of Indian and Chinese cuisine, and Caribbean music are the evidence of other ethnic groups' strong impact on the British culture, the influence of Poles is not as spectacular. Perhaps there was not enough time, or we are not that different. However, the fear of foreign elements as a threat to British identity epitomised by Brexit proves that the noticeable differences exist.

In Poland, since the end of the nineteenth century, for historical and political reasons, the peasants’ traditions were cherished as the true essence of national spirit and identity, in opposition to the cosmopolitan social elites. It was always closely related to the naïve and ostentatious version of Catholicism, marginalised in the post-war era but gaining prominence recently. Looking from the distance but with anxiety and frustration at the actions of the current right-wing Polish government, I am horrified at how those elements are exploited and how the country and society are transforming itself from the most progressive in Eastern Europe into the nationalistic, catholic, and parochial backwater. The support still received by the ruling political party is not less frightening.

Despite Brexit majority of Poles, including myself, will stay in the UK, for a variety of reasons not wanting or not being able to return to Poland. Each of us must consider the question of identity, more or less conscious of the notions of post-nationalism, pan-Europeanism, expatriate, immigration, naturalisation, etc. Could or should we be Britons? How do we match? Can we match at all? How can we contribute to British culture? How the current political climate in Poland, and in the UK, would affect our contribution?

In this project, I wanted to explore how the fact of being of foreign nationality in the UK can be reflected in my design. 
I started with research focused on two areas: first, to identify the conflicting elements I would like to emphasise and second: to explore possibilities of approach to the visual outcome of my project. 
I decided to clash the Polish emphasis on the folk traditions, the popularity of certain Polish products in the UK, and after all, the fact that religion never was a private matter in Poland as it is in the UK, as Catholicism is heavily present in the Polish public life, with a certain British aesthetic: traditional, evoking the nostalgia for the idyllic past, and the era of the Victorian Empire. 

The initial idea of creating an illustration or series of them, evolved when I started thinking about an object as an outcome. I realised that the wallpaper could capture the idea of home-making in the new country and at the same time is so rooted in the British tradition. So, it became a toile wallpaper. However, as for the actual wallpaper design, the idea needs to be developed further.