2025-10-28

At the Henan Provincial Museum – one of China’s most important cultural institutions – the exhibition “Gazing into Time” has opened to the public. The showcase is dedicated to Polish culture, art, and craftsmanship, with Baltic amber as its central theme. It marks the fifth edition of the international series “Beauty Captured in Time,” curated by IAA Personality of The Year 2022 and IAA Member Sebastian Tajl and Jacek Yang.

The project aims to promote Poland as a country with a rich cultural heritage, strong artisanal traditions, and a modern approach to design. As the world’s center of amber craftsmanship, Poland presents in China a unique fusion of nature, history, and art. According to Sebastian Tajl, amber perfectly reflects the essence of Polish heritage – combining beauty, durability, and emotions preserved through time.

“Gazing into Time” is the world’s largest temporary exhibition devoted to amber jewelry and art. It features more than a thousand works created by over ninety artists from Poland and abroad. Among them are natural amber pieces with inclusions preserved for millions of years, as well as contemporary jewelry, sculptures, and objects of applied art.

The exhibition presents amber in a broad context – from its natural origins and geological history to its role in art and culture. A prominent part is dedicated to Poland’s amber-making tradition, which dates back to the Middle Ages and today exemplifies the mastery and creativity of Polish designers. The display also includes amber artworks from the Qing dynasty, part of the Henan Museum’s own collection, showcasing the skill of ancient Chinese artisans. These precious pieces, crafted from the same “gold of the North” that has long symbolized Poland, highlight the historical and artistic connections between East and West.

This year’s edition is the most extensive to date, featuring a wider thematic scope and placing special emphasis on intangible cultural heritage – on crafts and techniques that are slowly disappearing. One remarkable example is a reconstruction of the medieval manuscript “The Book of Nature”, created by master bookbinder Jerzy Budnik using techniques from the 12th to 14th centuries. The manuscript is adorned with a cactus sculpture made by Iwona Tamborska and Przemysław Kuś, with the flower carved from natural amber – a contemporary interpretation of nature preserved in the “gold of the North.” The exhibition also features Bobowa bobbin lace, inscribed on Poland’s list of intangible cultural heritage, reimagined by artist Ewa Szpila, who used traditional techniques to create modern amber-adorned jewelry.

A new element of the exhibition is an international art project in which amber serves as a bridge between cultures. Among its highlights are works inspired by the Mexican Día de los Muertos, including depictions of the god and goddess of death created by Ney from Mexico and Maja Woźniak from Poland. Another exhibit features a Venetian mask by Sergio and Massimo Boldrin, embellished with amber by Jola Słoma and Mirek Trymbulak, symbolizing the collaboration between Polish and Italian artistic traditions. The project will continue to expand, involving artists from China, Africa, and other regions, creating a global dialogue through amber as a shared artistic language.

“Gazing into Time” is more than an exhibition – it is a story about Poland: a country that unites tradition with modernity, drawing inspiration from its history, nature, and art. Designed with the Chinese audience in mind, the exhibition presents Poland as a place where craftsmanship, design, and culture form a harmonious and dynamic whole. It is an invitation to discover Poland – a land where amber has long been a symbol of beauty, creativity, and connection between people and cultures.

Artists participating in the exhibition:
Jacek Baron, Anna Betley, Paulina Binek, Wiesława Bogdańska, Marcin Bogusław, Eliza and Krzysztof Bondaruk, Prof. Andrzej Boss, Sergio Boldrin, Danuta Burczik-Kruczkowska, Dorota Cenecka, Sławomir Chmielewski, Bartosz Ciba, Katarzyna Czajkowska, Danuta Czapnik, Arturas Davainis, Tadeusz Dobkowski, Ludwik Dumin, Grażyna Fila, Maria Fijałkowska, Prof. Sławomir Fijałkowski, Wanda and Bogdan Frydrychowicz, Jolanta Gazda, Aleksander Gliwiński, Mariusz Gliwiński, Leszek Górski, Dorota Gulbierz, Izabela Gutowska, Andrzej Jacyszyn, Janina Jaksina, Czesława Kaczyńska, Paweł Kaczyński, Wojciech Kalandyk, Tomasz Kargul, Bogusław Kołpak, Katarzyna Konieczka, Dorota Kos, Roman Kowalkowski, Aleksandra and Marcin Kukawscy, Andrzej Kupniewski, Przemysław Kuś, Wiesław Kuś, Małgorzata Mieleszko, Agnieszka Nowicka, Krzysztof Nowiński (with M. Nowaczyk and E. Held), Jacek Ostrowski, Elżbieta and Marek Pawłowski, Małgorzata Podgórska, Jan Pomianowski, Eryk Popkiewicz, Harald Popkiewicz, Olaf Popkiewicz, Adam Pstrągowski, Dariusz Ptak, Edward Puchalski, Bożena Przytocka, Izabela Robaczewska, Gabriela Reca, Salvador Rodriguez, Wojciech Rygało, Michał Starost, Tomasz Stangrecki, Justyna Stasiewicz, Sława Tchórzewska, Mirek Trymbulak & Jola Słoma, Marcin Tymiński, Sławomir Wasilewski, Irena Wastag, Ryszard Węsierski, Marta Włodarska, Maja Woźniak, Piotr Zarański.