Digital photography has always comprised somewhat dual
aspects - part art, part science. Andrzej Dragan, a Polish quantum physicist
with an extraordinary eye for photography and digital retouching, unites the
best of those aspect. His high-powered advertising work earned him Luerzer’s
“200 Best Ad Photographers Worldwide” accolade. Anna J. Kutor spoke
with Dragan in Warsaw about his career, creative inspirations and craft.
Warsaw, a leading metropolis of post-Communist Europe, is known for its collection of colossal statues
depicting brawny Soviet-era steelworkers and national heroes. Less well known
are its new-age monuments and art installations. As the blossoming centerpiece
of ‘New Europe’, Anna J. Kutor looks at the Polish capital’s ephemeral outdoor
art designs and quirky permanent fixtures that have not only enlivened the lackluster cityscape but have sparked the imagination and provoked debate on contemporary art.
Tropical Dreams
Up until the dawn of the 21st century, only heavily intoxicated youngster rolling out of beach-themed bars ever
experienced the feeling of tropical tranquillity in Warsaw. Then, out of a
clear blue sky, came a life-sized replica of a palm tree in the city’s main
thoroughfares allowing even super-sober citizens a chance to enjoy a slice of
coastal chilling (should they squint their eyes during sunset and
image laying on the beach with a cocktail in hand). Perched on the intersection
of Aleje Jerozolimskie (Jerusalem Avenue) and Nowy Swiat (New World), this 15 meter-high exotic tree, most akin to a Canary date palm, was created by
Bydgoszcz-born visual artist Joanna Rajkowska after a journey through Israel in
2002. Adding diversity, color and a generous helping of absurdity to the
historic boulevard, Rajkowska’s pseudo-organic palm project (originally named
“Greetings from Jerusalem Avenue) symbolizes Warsaw’s rough-and-tumble
past as well as it’s changing character.
The city, as the artist explains, has to be flexible and open in the sense of readiness to accept diverse meaning,
diverse identities and it has to be able to adapt itself to the changing needs
of its inhabitants. In her opinion, the Palm has become a kind of energy center
or container for otherness in the sense of its ability to open up possibilities.
Flight of Fancy
Cyclists have difficulty maintaining balance, drivers stop and stare, pedestrians keep snapping photos and they put a smile on everyone’s face. The cause of all this cheerfulness is Pegasuses,
the latest alfresco art installations to grace the capital. A five-piece
masterpiece featuring vibrantly colored winged horses in the courtyard of the
Krasiński Palace, Pegasuses is the brainchild of designer duo Beata Konarska
and Paweł Konarski. It temporary project (on display through May) commissioned
by the National Library on the occasion of a Mediterranean-inspired exhibition honoring Polish poet Zbigniew Herbert. These eye-catching figures, each over
three meters high and four meters long, are made from painted sheet metal
weighing 500 kilograms in total. The mystical herd, as the designer’s
describe, brought a cheerful and positive energy to the area. At nighttime the
fronts of the mythical creatures are bathed in festive lights, giving them a
compelling look that is hypnotic and otherworldly.
Animal Art
Hidden in the depths of Praski Park, among the wide variety of flora and fauna,
sharp-eyed visitors can spot a scattering of artful animals. Made of steel and
stone, these well weathered creatures signal the closeness of their
flesh-and-blood counterparts in Poland’s oldest Zoo. A chunky bison, a
miniature elephant and other cuddly characters make up the creative crew, which
is led by the 5-metre-tall metal giraffe
wistfully looking out over the trees. The playful steel structure was brought
into being by sculptor Władysław Frycz and donated to the park in 1981.
Brass Beats
In Praga, Warsaw’s arty east-side suburb, a brassy street musician act electrifies the air with the sound of music. Despite being a solid setup with a steady
repertoire of songs and a fair bit of experience under their belts, the Kapela
Podwórkowa assemble won’t bellow their street beats or even move until they’ve
been paid. The collectives’ no-pay-no-play policy has more to do with their
stringent structure than any assertion of artistic ego as the five-member brass
band is actually cast in brass.
This noisy monument, standing on the cobblestone corner of Kłopotowskiego and Florianska streets, was sculpted by local artist Andrzej Renes in 2006. These true-to-life figures pay tribute to
an iconic pre-war band comprising of a drummer, guitarist, violinist, a mandolin and an accordion
player. To make them perform, music-lovers must send an text message to the
number 7141 with the text KAPELA and then select a tune from the 100-strong
play list of patriotic classics such as “It’s possible to like
Warsaw” and “Bridge on the left, bridge on the right”. In an instant,
the brass-bound orchestra with burst into song (well, actually, the secret
speakers will just turn on).
Arachnid in the Air
For those (like me) whose Top 10 list of freaky nightmares includes being ambushed
by a giant hairy spider and then being turned into a brain-dead zombie by its
venom should probably be warned about the oversized tarantula replica hanging
above the entrance of W Oparach Absurdu (In the Fumes of Absurdity ), one of
Warsaw’s coolest (and most Bohemian) bars. A cheeky and seriously sinister
symbol, this black mischief-maker was fastened to the venue’s facade by its
owner, Elżbieta Komorowska, an actress and artists who purchased the homemade
pesky creature from a street vendor. It’s surreal, stately and satirical - just
like it’s working-class neighborhood, Praga, which has shed its former shady
image to become the center of artistic creativity in Warsaw. Beyond the
hair-raising gate keeper, the bar’s interior is also flushed with eccentric
ornaments ranging from glow-in-the-dark religious icons to blue liquors stored
in sperms-shaped tubes. If you need some help soothing frayed nerves, sample
the Spider Drink, a colorful concoction made up of vodka, black currant and
banana.
Urban Upgrade
“I love big cities - it’s a natural environment for me and its the most complex space and challenging background
for art,” says Kamila Szejnoch, maker of interactive installations for
urban spaces. “Public space is more real and inspiring and in it art somehow
feels more palpable than autonomous art closed amongst white walls of a
gallery”.
Engaging the city’s inhabitants in a direct dialogue with contemporary art is the aim of Szejnoch, a young urban
artist living in the Polish capital. Completing her artistic studies at the
sculpture department at Warsaw’s Academy of Fine Arts in 2004 she turned her
focus on urban designs and continued her education at the Dutch Art Institute
in Holland. For her artistic endeavors, she has received a variety of awards and
grants, including a year-long artistic scholarship from the Polish Ministry of
Culture in 2007 and a stipend from the Swiss Government for artistic
development in Switzerland in 2008. Over time, she has become increasingly
fascinated with monuments and areas closely linked to history, religion and
ideology.
“Most of my works consist of two main elements. One is historical, traditional or closed in its form, while the
second one is more contemporary, open, playful, and interactive,” she
says, “I have been trying to update, ridicule and just evoke outdated
layers of the past by adding something new, contrasting and distinct from their
original style or function.” Building a bridge between the past and the
present been the focus of her latest Warsaw-based project “Carousel, Slide and Swing”, a
three piece installation that adding perky and witty elements to outdated
war-memorial monuments in Praga, effectively turning the symbolic sculptures
into giant toys. “There are several “dead” memorials in Warsaw
that served communist propaganda to commemorate Polish-Soviet brotherhood in
arms and liberation of Warsaw in 1945. With this project I wanted to say
something to those grim monuments with their closed form and distorted
message.”
The first part of the project to be designed and engineered was ‘Swing’, winner of the Szpilman Award 2008
rewarding temporary works of art, in which the colossal bronze statue of the
soldier commemorating the 1st Tadeusz Kościuszko Infantry Division was
appointed a tiny red swing. The installation was roundly criticized by city
officials and war veterans as being
frivolous and inappropriate, so permits were yanked and the six-day project
into an ‘illegal’ evening of fun. “For me this statue is a communist
propaganda monument from the former era but for the Berlin Army soldier’s point
of view it is a well-deserved homage to their sacrifice. This is the best
example how much history can differ in the perspective of individual and
collective memories, and my aim was to highlight the dissonance and complexity
of this situation.”
Street Spirit
A large-scale public art project entitled “Praga - Right Side of the Vistula River” has birthed a sizable
collection of art installations that will add some much-needed humor and
whimsy to the streets and squares of Warsaw’s Praga precinct. The works,
currently on display on the grounds of the Koneser Vodka Factory, were
fabricated mostly from found objects and inexpensive weathered materials,
including recycled woods and metals. Just inside the factory’s Gothic gateway
stands “Amy”, a textured wooden replica of troubled British singer
Amy Winehouse carved from a single tree trunk by artist Józef Nowak. Near the
songstress lies a frail figure, “The Thinker” by Stefan Sławiński,
falling from his steel frame and crumbling under the weight of his own tangled
troubles. There’s also a eerie duo of wooden figures designed by Marcin Rząs.
Positioned on the corner of the brick-clad factory, the no-name couple - each
facing a different direction - is bound together by their proximity and
faceless nature, yet they feel separate and distant.
Perhaps the most striking structure in the group is “Horse Market” as named by its creator Jan Kubicki,
features an aggressively posing silhouette of a larger-than-life horse pieced
together from all kinds of rusting metal rods and crumpled sheets of steel.
Behind the combative pony, there’s a cluster of overtly-modern metal artwork
compiled from pipe parts and metal mesh as well as a monster-sized chess set
all waiting to be escorted to their final resting place.
From deliciously filling pastries to stew bars, and from restaurant lunch specials to food trucks, here are the best places in Budapest
to enjoy simple Hungarian food and drink at wallet-friendly prices.
by Anna J. Kutor
Despite the growing number of Michelin-starred restaurants,
Budapest is more like a well-fixed and laid-back auntie of a city, who will
feed you up with plenty of hearty, flavor-packed meals. There’s a diverse range
of cuisines and enough calories to fuel an extended weekend of explorations on
foot, which can all be savored without spending big bucks. Sometimes that
means seeking off-the-tourist-track places, while at other times it depends on
the time of day or even the time of year that you dine. And keep in mind,
thanks to the favorable exchange rates you can lock in before traveling, even
an elegant restaurant meal will cost you much less than you would expect.
Bakeries and pastry shops are a good place to carbo-load on
fruity pastries, breads and basic sandwiches throughout the day. Chains like
Lipóti Pékség, Pék-Snack, Princess and Fornetti are chains selling a wide
assortment of freshly-baked goodies for a few hundred forints each.
If you know anything about food in Hungary, you’ll know
that soups (gulyás, fisherman’s soup, creamy mushroom soup, etc.) and desserts
(Dobos cake, fruity rétes, palacsinta, etc.) are daily part of the diet. While
neither of these are usually healthy dining options, but family stories and
secrets are shared, affairs embarked on over a steamy bowl of soup/creamy cake
and they definitely shouldn’t be missed.
Soups, even at restaurants, are relatively inexpensive
(think 400-800 HUF), but creative soup bars (LINK) have sprung up all around
Budapest, offering seasonal and healthy soups on a budget. The best place to
kick of your soup adventures is Leves. (1053
Budapest, Vámház krt. 14), a hole-in-the-wall bar just off of Kálvin Tér that
serves a daily-changing menu of soups in a cup. Further afield, in the urban
jungle of the 8th district is another petite soup bar called Levesgyár (Soup Factory, 1082 Budapest,
Horváth Mihály tér 16). It’s worth seeking out not only for its filling and
delicious soups (of which the there are 4-5 warm and cold options, including
best-sellers like apple-potato créme soup, mango, apple-mint and Raffaello
soup) for less than 500 HUF, but also their well-made sandwiches and affordable
menu combos. On the Buda side, Soupway (1111 Budapest, Karinthy Frigyes út 18) feeds the masses with their take-away treats, ranging from creamy eggplant, heavy
bean and ham or inventive citrusy cottage cheese soup.
For a more substantial meal to satisfy lunchtime hunger,
head for one of the many főzelék
(pottage or stew) bars scattered around town. A typical home-style
Hungarian meal made from almost any type of vegetable, főzelék is usual a main
meal served with meat or boiled eggs. A popular chain of pottage bars is Főzelékfaló Ételbár, with
tourist-friendly outlets in Nagymező Utca and Ferenciek Tere, where customers
with a sharp eye for good value will always find hot bowls of stews made from
spinach, Swiss chard, squash, lentils, potatoes, green peas, beans and salad.
For a more upmarket, hipster version that’s still affordable is Hokedli Pottage Bar on Nagymező Utca,
where vegetarians and meat eaters can dine together on cleverly prepared bowls
of green pea stew with arugula and ginger, bacon-infused Brussels sprout stew
and potato stew with sun-dried tomatoes and cream cheese.
Other lunchtime hotspots are known as étkezde or kifőzde,
no-frills, low-price, what-to-see-is-what-you-get type of places serving
every-day Hungarian food. Meals at an étkezde are as close to home-style
Hungarian cooking as you can find, with the regularly changing menu options
including several hearty soups, stews, roasted, fried or stuffed meats, pasta
dishes and a variety of pickled vegetables, and perhaps a few dessert choices.
It’s a sure value for your forint, but you’ll need cash to pay as cards are not
accepted. Time has stood still at Kádár
Étkezde (1072 Budapest, Klauzál tér 9), a Jewish district institution
featuring red-white chequered tablecloths topped with plastic covers,
wall-to-wall photographs of local celebrities dining, slow service and menu
with highlights such as stuffed peppers, sólet (cholent) and fried bone marrow
with noodles. Stationed right across from an old market, Rákóczi Kifőzde (1084 Budapest, Rákóczi tér 9) is another place
named after a national war hero where profits take a back seat to providing
good food at good prices - the tasty offering here including game dishes,
stews, hot and cold soups and some seriously delicious sweet options.
Students and cash-strapped workers in need of a cheap lunch
hotfoot it to nearby menza’s, humble cafeterias that are usually associated
with a local institution - such as a university, charity or religious center. Stoczek Mezna (1111 Budapest, Stoczek
utca 1-3) in the Budapest University of Technology and Economics is a real
student canteen with generous portions at bargain-basement prices, starting
with the breakfast menus and extending to the stew-and-meat heavy lunch options
(for less than 800 HUF). Aula Restaurant
(1088, Budapest Rákóczi út 5) in the
main hall of the ELTE University Faculty of Humanities has mid-size portions of
nourishing, home-style food that range from soups to fried meats, stews to
pickled vegetables. The desserts are worth saving room for, as the tradition
fruity-filled pastries, strudels and jam-filled donuts are true crowd-pleasers.
Many higher-end restaurants have lunch specials that
present a new option for travelers to stretch their food budget on the road. Pesti Disznó (1063 Budapest, Nagymező
utca 19) is best described as a Hungarian tapas bar serving
a massive selection of pork-based dishes that pair well with the fine selection
of domestic wine. The daily lunch special, for 1190 HUF, is a two-course meal
usually on the lighter side, featuring a soup and traditional mains. Meaty dude food also takes a center stage for
the lunch specials at Laci!Konyha!
(1133 Budapest, Hegedűs Gyula utca 56), where the two-course
offering costs 2200 HUF, but there’s a vegetarian and seafood option for
health-conscious clientele as well. For higher-end nosh in a swish setting on
the Buda side, it doesn’t get more affordable than Csalogány 26 (1015 Budapest, Csalogány utca 26). The menu here is founded on sound regional ingredients,
top quality and chef flourishes (rabbit hache with green pea puree, duck soup
with semolina dumplings, scallops with asparagus risotto) and while that might
sound pretentious, the two-course lunch menu for 2500 HUF is a steal.
For a filling bite on-the-go, try lángos, a fried
sour-dough bread with various toppings, Hungary’s unofficial street food
ambassador. Look for special kiosks and small stands in markets selling these
plate-sized treats, traditionally topped with sour cream, shredded cheese and a
good dose of garlic. Street food as such is still in its infancy in Budapest but
a expanding line-up of pop-ups and market appearances means that there’s always
a food truck
to explore for the budget traveler. Case in point is the previously unused plot
of land next to the ever-popular Szimpla Kert ruin bar on Kazinczy Street that
is now home to Karaván Street Food
Courtyard (1076 Budapest, Kazinczy utca 18). Within the confines of a
heated tent, hungry crowds will find a dozen different trucks and containers
dishing up gourmet burgers and sandwiches from indigenous mangalica meat
(Mangalica és Társa), fried cheese dishes (Paneer), curry wursts and sausages
(Berlin Kanteen) and creative pasta dishes (Pasta Station).
Steeped in tradition and a 2000-year-old history, Hungary enjoys
the world’s largest concentration of thermal baths in the world. Soaking up the
ambience at one of Budapest’s thermal baths is a wonderful way of experiencing a historical Hungarian
institution and a slice of local life.
by Anna J. Kutor
Passing through the flamboyantly decorated Art Nouveau
arches of the Gellért Hotel reveals the entrance to a tranquil thermal temple
worthy of royalty. This opulent palace overlooking the Danube
River houses Budapest’s most renowned public bathhouse,
the Gellért Baths. Built in 1918, this upscale public bathhouse adheres to the
traditions of style and service that was established in the era of Emperor Franz
Joseph. Oozing class and grandeur, the bath boasts a maze of eight thermal
pools, each a different temperature, in addition to a large swimming pool, small
steams rooms, massage halls, and other rooms treating specific ailments –
including dentistry. The décor is equally elaborate featuring large marble
columns surrounding the pools, walls covered in magnificent green-and-blue
majolica tiles and mosaics that depict sea creatures, as well as statues of
kissing cherubs and stone lion heads gushing warm water. If these flashy floors
and walls could talk, they would whisper tales of healing, memorable meetings
between noblemen and colorful chit-chat between regular patrons. And there are
surely lots to tell, as bathing in Hungary has a history reaching back
into the days of the ancient Romans.
Historic Healing
Bubbling from deep under the Buda Hills on the right bank of the Danube
River, the therapeutic thermal waters of Budapest where first discovered by Romans in the fourth century B.C. They built intricate waterways and lavish bathhouses around the region’s richest natural
resource, reaping the soothing and healing powers of the springs. However, it
wasn’t until the 150-year Turkish occupation starting in the 16th
century that the ritualistic bath culture truly started to flourish. As
Muslims, Turks where obliged to cleanse themselves five times a day in
preparation for prayer, thus establishing the habit of daily bathing on
Hungarian territory. Among the most beautiful architectural remnants of the
Turkish period are the Király, Rácz and Rudas bathhouses which are function to
this day.
Today, there are 123 thermal springs in Budapest, which produce 40 million liters of the wickedly warm waters (in temperatures reaching
up to 76 °C) that supplies over two dozen operational
spas dotted around the capital. The natural springs are rich in a number of
minerals including calcium, fluoride, sulphates and magnesium, all of which are
medically prove to have healing effects on chronic locomotors disorders, nerve
problems, and respiratory and circulatory illnesses. Fanatic followers with a
strong aquatic obsession claim that these waters can cure almost any ill. But
beyond the waters therapeutic and rejuvenating qualities, what locals and
visitors seek most are pure relaxation and a sense of well-being.
Old and New Traditions
Hopping from on tranquilizing thermal tub to another
yields inimitable insight into the historical and cultural machinery of the
city. A twenty minute stroll away from Gellért Baths at the foot of the Gellért
Hill, another local liquid landmark that provides both sensual and sensory
delights is the regal Rudas Baths. Three well-known springs named Juventus,
Hungaria and Attila have supplied the bathing complex since the Knights of St.
John founded a hospice at this spot. Construction of the current structure
began in 1556 during the Turkish period, on the orders of Pasha Sokoli
Mustapha. An octagonal pool with a ten meter diameter dome sustained by eight
green-tinted pillars acts as the centerpiece of the bath, which is circled by a
cluster of five smaller pools. Natural light transcends in from a multitude of
star-shaped holes scattered on the cupola above the main pool, exuding an
otherworldly Ottoman-period charm. The rest of medicinal complex -including a swimming
pool, a sauna and the Water Hall where mineral-rich water from the nearby
springs is sold -, where added only in 1896.
Formerly exclusive to men, the Rudas bath broke with its 70-year-old tradition in 2005 and
opened up its doors to women on special days of the week. The place now offers
female-only dipping every Tuesday, with co-ed opportunities on weekends. Unlike
on single-sex bathing days, bathing suits are compulsory at times when men and
women are permitted to bathe together. If you forget to pack a swimsuit or a
shower cap - which is mandatory in the swimming pool section -, you can buy or
rent one in the kiosk at the entrance (expect only retro, one-piece swimsuits
with tacky patterns and flower-covered rubber caps).
Liquid Source of Pride
Budapest’s most postcard-perfect bathing location is the Széchenyi Baths, situated smack
dab in the middle of the leafy City Park in Pest. A
sprawling oval bath complex built in a palatial neo-baroque style in 1913,
Széchenyi features over a dozen indoor and outdoor pools as well as numerous
steam-baths, saunas, wave- and whirlpools. Surrounded by the yellow-colored
walls, massive pillars and statues of water gods, men and women float
blissfully in the open-air steamy waters. Immersed in chest-high hot water,
clusters of local clients stand around plastic chessboards pondering their next
Big Move. Although still welcoming guests, the bath is currently undergoing a
facelift that is scheduled to finish in 2008.
One of the oldest and most exotic bathhouses in town, the 16th-century Király Thermal
Bath is another splendid spot for ladies wishing to enjoy the experience of
bathing in the nude – all day on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Men have the
same body-bearing privileges on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. Originally
built by the Turks, the bath owes its final form – including a large
Classical-style wing built besides the Ottoman building - and its name to the
German König family (König=King=Király) who took the ownership and restoration
works in the early 19th century. Further major reconstruction took
place on the bath complex at it suffered massive damages during WW II, with a
five-year total renovation project, as well as a short upgrade in the pools
hydraulic system that ended in the beginning of September this year.
Inside, the main thermal pool is topped by a sky-lit dome - the so-called moon crescent -, with
several small pools off to the side. Water rushes in from spouts at
temperatures between 21 and 49 °C, creating an atmospheric mist that lets health-seekers stretch out and relax. Soaking is a national pastime in Hungary and an accepted medium for social interaction, so the baths are packed with people of all ages and social statuses. Sitting naked, or in tiny towels barely
covering their precious parts, it is not uncommon to find local artists,
celebrities and intellectuals taking a tension-relieving dip; talking
animatedly about difficult family dilemmas, new job opportunities or the
spiraling state of the economy.
10 tips for novice bathers in Budapest
1. Consume plenty of fluid before you start to soak. Most baths have drinking fountains with
waters laden with minerals where you can stock up liquids.
2. Taking a shower before you enter the bath is obligatory.
2. Despite what some may say, there is no right or wrong sequence of moving from one facility
to the next. Do what feels most comfortable.
3. Remember to bring a swimsuit and cap. Slippers, towels, and shampoo also come in handy.
4. Tipping dressing room attendants is not required, but they welcome a tip in the 4-8 PLN
range. Masseurs and other extra-service provider expect a tip in the 5-10 PLN
range.
5. Don’t bathe on an empty stomach, as the steam and warm water can take a heavy toll on the
undernourished body.
6. Take heed of the recommended maximum soaking periods posted on the walls next to each pool.
7. Set aside at least two hours to fully make use of the relaxing benefits of all the
amenities, including saunas, steam rooms and massages.
8. If you feel exhausted from all the heat, take a cat nap in the rest room to regain
strength.
9. If you need help, ask for advice, or keep your eyes open and follow what the local regulars
do.
10. Not all bathhouses accept credit cards, so make sure to have cash ready for entrance
fees.
Beauty is a serious business, one that needs to be handled in a
forward-thinking fashion, with sensitive care and the wisdom of
long-range experience. No one understands that better then Dr. Irena
Eris, Poland’s grand dame of the beauty industry. Having built up an
enviable and prestigious cosmetics enterprise around the cult of
cosmetic innovation and premium quality beauty products and services,
her 25-year-old brand has become a household name in Poland and just
about everywhere else in Europe.
The company’s grand future commenced from very humble beginnings in the
1980s, from a makeshift laboratory set up by Dr. Irena Eris and Henryk
Orfinger, a spirited husband-and-wife team. Eris was studying at the
Medical Academy of Warsaw when she met Orfinger, a graduate of the
Department of Transport at the Warsaw University of Technology. They
shared the same vision of building a nimble and smart company that would
design cosmetics and hygiene products based on comprehensive research
and the best possible ingredients. That vision was turned into reality
in 1983, at the height of Socialist power in Poland, when they
kick-started the business in a small one-room workshop in Warsaw. At
first, the dynamic duo employed one single worker and produced one type
of cream at the plant and the monthly output of 3000 cream containers
where distributed personally to each buyer by the family car. Acquiring
satisfactory materials from foreign producers was painstakingly long and
difficult under the strict Communist control, especially given the
massive amounts of compulsory paperwork and the limitations of transport
and communication, but their motivation and drive to develop their
brand inevitably yielded positive results.
The real breakthrough came in 1989, with political and economic changes in
Poland, when private entrepreneurs where suddenly greatly appreciated
and new foreign markets opened up window of opportunity,” explains Eris.
With the stage was set for rapid expansion, the business stepped into a
successful new era by opening a new computer-controlled production
plant in Piaseczno, situated on the outskirts of the Polish capital.
Technological improvements and the availability of innovative components
had begun to make possible the formulation and design of a variety of
different high-class cosmetic products, significant investment and
increasing financial stability made way for employing a number of
skilled professionals, and by 1995, the company had made its presence
felt in the fiercely competitive local cosmetics industry. “We made the
right moves at the right times, but I have to say our success was based
on good timing and a bit of luck. My intuition and sometimes risky,
albeit informed business decisions also played a part in building an
innovative company that is constantly evolving”.
The next chapter of the company’s history was marked by
serious vision, as well as intense competition and
change. In the years leading up to 2001, the Dr. Irena Eris opened its
first cosmetics institute, launched a holistic hotel and spa facility in
Krynica Zdrój - a southern highland spot dubbed “the pearl of Polish
spas” - and, as the first company in Europe, began developing and
distributing beauty serums with high concentration of Vitamin C. And, as
another pioneering achievement, Eris’s self-named venture established
its own state-of-the-art research center, the Center of Science and
Research Dr. Irena Eris, which not only extended the range of
specialized skin care products but also catapulted the company into the
leading position in the Polish cosmetics market.
“We definitely strive for a leading industry role, and we owe our
prominent market position today because of continuous improvement and
innovation, professional services and novel products that cater to the
changing demands of consumers,” says Eris. “The results of our
wide-range research have been multi-fold, including innovative, effective
and safe cosmetics, countless scientific publications about Polish
popular science in top foreign journals, and several presentations in
international and local scientific conferences”.
Cosmetics Across the Board
After 25 years in the beauty business, having successfully navigated through the turbulent
waters of economic change and jungle of capitalistic competition, Eris’s
empire has grown into the most globalized beauty and cosmetics brand in
Poland. At present, the company employs a team of 500 professional
chemists, biologists, allergists, dermatologists and an array of
doctors; and operates 26 Dr. Irena Eris Cosmetics Institutes in Poland,
and one each in Bogota, Colombia, Prague in the Czech Republic and
Kaliningrad in Russia.The company has sixty copyrighted cosmetic
treatments, produces and distributes more than 5,400 cosmetics and has a
monthly output of 1.4 million units, a large part of which is exported
to 24 affiliate trading nations worldwide, from Russia to Ireland, the
United State to Thailand. In 2007, the company reached a peak with
logging an annual turnover of PLN 148 million (GBP 35.6 million), which
represents a strong 17 increase as compared to the clocked PLN 127
million (GBP 30.6 million ) the year before.
Eris’s extensive product portfolio features ten distinctly
positioned holistic skin care lines, catering to women and men of all
ages, who ‘value premium quality products and the effectiveness of their
action’. These cosmetic lotions, running between PLN 80-200 (GBP 20-48)
per container, are available at leading pharmacies, beauty salons and
department stores nationwide, and in international cosmetic chains in
importing countries. “All woman, regardless of whether they are Polish,
Russian, American or British, are similar in nature and they like to
take care of their appearance. Therefore, it is important for use to
encompass beauty in the broadest sense and satisfy the constantly rising
expectations of our clients throughout all markets,” explains Eris.
For women age 25-35, it produces three deluxe lines, including Skin
Mood, a hydrating formula for the face designed to prevent cyclical
hormonal changes from affecting the skin; Sin Skin, a range of facial
cleansers, toners and creams formulated to shield the skin against the
harmful effect of UV radiation, as well as You, a fountain-of-youth-type
serum that counteracts the internal causes of skin deterioration after
30 - linked to the body’s diminishing level of DHEA, a steroid hormone
produced by the body. React!, a nourishing cocktail of active
moisturizing and rejuvenating ingredients - including Hydrocomplex D and
Blue Retinol -, and In Cell, an anti-aging product line both cater to
women in the 35-45 age bracket. One of the latest and most innovative
product lines, Nano Entrèe, targets the mature woman’s skin with strong
anti-wrinkle firming and nourishing properties. Focusing on the growing
skin-care demands of the stronger sex and their burgeoning grooming
sector, Eris created Platinum Men, a high-end line of products using the
cutting-edge Skin Explore System, a technology that uses a combo of
active ingredients and vitamins that are able to penetrate through the
layers of the skin and strengthen the underlying tissues. Through the
years, these product have reaped awards and accolades for cutting-edge
design and excellence in quality, including the British Gold Glamour,
the 2005 Beauty award for best new cosmetic introduced in Great Britain,
Superbrands Polska 2005 and the prestigious Prix d’Excellence Marie
Claire awards.
Chain Reaction of R&R
Aquatic healing and full-body rejuvenation treatments are not new concepts in
the realm of wellness and today’s consumer-oriented focus in healthcare,
but the three high-end spa hotels owned and run by Eris have certainly
upped the standard of quality and service in the modern spa-ificaiton of
Poland. Just as the inaugural resort, the two new recreation facilities
- one in the same Krynica Zdrój area and the other in seductively
tranquil terrain of Wzgórza Dylewskie (Dylewo Hills) in the northern
Mazurian lake district - provide complete cosmetic and medical
procedures. An ideal way to beat the soaring anxiety levels and
work-related stress, these exclusive relaxation centers are each
equipped with an array of massage and beauty parlors,
manicure-pedicure, safe tanning and dermatological rooms and water-based
activities surrounded by spacious, health-seeking visitors can choose
from an assortment of spa- and personalized wellness program,
including special fitness packages for newlyweds and moms-to-be as well
as a ten-day slimming program with biological regeneration (costing
between PLN 5000-6500/GBP 1200-1500 per person) and a five-day
revitalizing program for men (PLN 2600-3300/GBP 530-800).
“Women now in Poland are highly active and well-educated
professionally, and there’s a growing number of us vigorously seeking
new business opportunities and taking leadership positions in
companies,” says the radiant businesswoman, who gives the impression of
knowing how to seize whatever opportunity arises. Now in her fifties,
Eris effortlessly exudes a blend of charm and confidence that
undoubtedly played a part in turning her eponymous empire into an
exemplary picture of success, harmony and wellness. “Determination,
passion and desire to pursue your own dreams is absolutely essential in
business, and if you are strong, revered and respectful to the people
around you, success will be at your fingertips.”
