Sławomir Fijałkowski - Growing Gems Jury
Sławomir Fijałkowski
Designer biography:
I was born in Łódź, Poland (1970)—right in the heart of Generation X. I studied jewellery design at the Academy of Fine Arts in Łódź / PL, and still regard this formative chapter as a springboard for broader artistic exploration. My practice crosses boundaries between art, design, fashion, traditional craftsmanship, and CAD/CAM technologies—navigating the intersections where these disciplines meet, merge, and challenge one another.
Today, I am a professor of fine arts and head of the Experimental Design Studio at the Academy of Fine Arts in Gdańsk / PL. Our studio engages in critical analysis of the evolving creative industries, resisting the lure of purely functional or market-driven design. Instead, we explore the tension between experimentation and purpose—pushing design into uncharted territories.
For four years, I served as Dean of the Faculty of Architecture and Design, a role that broadened my interdisciplinary perspective on how we shape objects, systems, services, and experiences—viewed through their full cultural, technological, and economic contexts. This background reinforced my approach as a meticulous analyst, always seeking synergy across diverse and often divergent design methodologies.
Alongside my academic work, I remain an active designer—drawn to exceptions rather than rules. Although rooted in design, my process is grounded more in contextual and critical analysis than in market competition. I consider myself fortunate to work in a time when design enjoys autonomy and balance—bridging art (as therapy for the creator) and service (as a tool for problem-solving).
Professionally, I specialize in jewellery design, collaborating with renowned manufacturers. My collections have been exhibited at leading international jewellery fairs in Basel, Vicenza, Milan, Munich, Las Vegas, Tokyo, Beijing, Dubai, and Hong Kong.
I am also the long-time curator of the International Jewellery Art Competition in Legnica—one of the world’s most influential showcases of avant-garde jewellery. Over the years, I have curated numerous design exhibitions, authored theoretical texts and books on contemporary design, and remain a critical observer of social trends—a committed advocate of subversive counterculture, and occasionally, an active participant.
Join me for a crash-test with truly experimental design.
