OP
We created the OP objects to reveal the extraordinary relationship between color and light. They are a tribute to color and its ability to surprise, transform, and delight. We also wanted both literally and metaphorically to shed light on the material beauty of ceramics, a medium that has captured our professional lives.
Color and light are inseparable. Light creates color and changes the relationships between colors. A light wave has no color, and neither does the surface it illuminates. Color gains its human meaning only through processes occurring in the eye and brain. This means there are colors we will never know, as our eyes can only perceive light waves of specific lengths. One could even say that colors do not exist without our experience of them.
OP objects explore the world of optical phenomena, based on the mutual interplay of light, color, form, and human perception. They are instruments for experimenting with vision. When placed in the space, they form a living composition in which the human presence plays a crucial role. The components of this collection, connected by a subtle web of physical laws, enter into dynamic relationships casting light, reflecting it, covering one another in shadow, exchanging colors.
OP Ceramic Modular System
The OP Ceramic Modular System is an interactive structure composed of ceramic tiles that rotate around their own axes. It can be used to create open partitions that divide space or mounted on walls as modular compositions. In both cases, it remains a living image that responds to users and is designed specifically for a given environment. The front and back of the installation form two distinct compositions that merge and transform through touch. Each rotated tile changes the arrangement on both sides, meaning that a composition of seventy tiles generates 1,180,591,620,717,411,303,424 possible configurations. The system is based on Oskar Hansen’s concept of Open Form, whose core values are changeability and a non-hierarchical approach to architecture and artistic practice.
The OP System introduces an element of play into space, offering the pleasure of exploring endless combinations. Manually rotating the tiles stimulates the sense of touch and emphasizes the tactile nature of ceramic, transforming the installation into a multisensory experience.
The OP Ceramic Modular System is part of the OP series, which explores optical phenomena emerging from the interaction of light, color, form, and human perception. Works from this series function as instruments for visual experimentation, in which color plays a central role.
The Studio’s aim is to introduce color into architecture as an element that shapes atmosphere, influences emotions, and defines the character of a place.
The OP System proposes an experience of vision as a sensual, ever-changing, and participatory process.
OP Standing Lamps
FAT OP is a standing lamp, modular and adaptable, adjusting its height to the function and needs of the user. Its massive body, evoking associations with living matter, is crowned with a concave “eye” in a contrasting color. When the bulb is lit, the eye fills with light, revealing the essence of the hidden color. The light is directed inward, highlighting the material beauty of the ceramic surface and the captivating depth of the glazes’ colors.
SLIM OP is a modular standing lamp that adapts its height to the user’s needs and the function of the space. The two-module version works perfectly as a table lamp, while the taller configurations create ideal ambient lighting. Made entirely from white clay and glazed in one of fourteen colors from our palette, it showcases the natural beauty of the material. Each piece is handcrafted, making every lamp truly one of a kind.
SLIM OP + DISC is a floor lamp whose integral element is a ceramic reflector (disc) mounted on the wall. The colors of the disc engage in a continuous dialogue as the light changes. Thanks to its undulating relief, parts of the surface reflect light while others recede into shadow, creating spatial illusions that play with visual perception. Shadow becomes an equal participant in this interplay. The illuminated edge of the Disc glows intensely, emphasizing color contrasts, or softly diffuses light across the waves of the surface. Equipped with a bulb featuring adjustable color temperature and light intensity, the lamp continuously transforms its character and creates the desired atmosphere.
OP Kilims
OP Kilims is a series of handwoven compositions designed by Magda Jurek, created in collaboration with Splot - a brand reviving the art of traditional kilim weaving. The geometric patterns of the kilims originate from the OP ceramic modular system created by Pani Jurek Studio. This interactive system became the pattern generator for an open series of textiles, in which each kilim is produced as a unique, one-of-one piece.
As with most of my projects, I based my work on the kilims on the principle of testing the possibilities within a set system. Using a single shape (half of a square), six colors, and black and white, I created successive variations with distinct characters. Some versions are highly dynamic and vibrant, while others seek order and calm, as if the geometric system were a record of my moods. The OP Kilim originates from a spatial ceramic object with a colorful front and a black-and-white reverse, which I created, in the spirit of Oskar Hansen’s Open Form, together with Michał Borecki. The front and reverse of the installation are two separate compositions that, through touch, begin to merge into one another. While drawing the kilims, I rotate the ‘tiles’ in my imagination. It is a game full of tension, because each move — much like in a game of chess — determines the next and may lead to failure. At its core lies a rule that must constantly be broken in order to escape boredom, while being careful not to let chaos take over the composition. The results of this game evoke the Bauhaus patterns of Anni Albers and Gunta Stölzl. - Magda Jurek
Magda Jurek brings a painterly sensibility to the thinking about kilims. The rhythms of the fabric are rhythms of color. Each kilim vibrates differently in different arrangements, creating unique, artistic compositions. - Przemek Cepak (Splot Kilim)