UTOPIAS / DYSTOPIAS. The future of the city
Researchers forecast that in 2050, 68% of the world’s population will be living in cities. The processes of urbanization will accelerate especially in Asia and Africa, however European cities will also be subject to destabilization caused by the need to open themselves to different kinds of migrations as well as some unprecedented changes of the climate, society, economy and culture.
Although not all of the impending changes are noticeable enough to be described or controlled, some transformations are already becoming evident and they drive the construction of strategies to alleviate the negative effects of the expected changes.
The symptoms that portend a redefinition of the city perceived both as a postpolis and a postcivitas appear frequently in the narratives of contemporary artists and designers. The “Utopias / Dystopias. The future of the city” exhibition aims at presenting such visions.
Fourteen doctoral students of the Academy of Fine Arts and Design in Katowice were invited to take part in the exhibition. The authors are: Joanna Ambroz Lewandowska, Lena Achtelik, Max Brück, Michalina Bigaj, Maciej Cholewa, Antonina Konopelska, Mateusz Kokot, Martyna Piątek, Marek Pośpiech, Jerzy Rupik, Bartłomiej Rybak, Dominik Ritszel, Tomasz Strojecki and Agata Szymanek.
Their works revolve about six themes: city living, the human being, nature, metaphysical horror, education/work and relationships.