The Ripple Effect
UK
This September, the V&A unveils The Ripple Effect—a newly commissioned ceramic installation by Polish artist and designer Alicja Patanowska, created for the John Madejski Garden as part of the programme curated by the V&A for London Design Festival 2025.
Formed from 2,000 hand-made ceramic tiles, the installation doubles as both a place of rest and a meditation on our relationship with natural resources. At its heart, a working fountain directs water into the central pond, inviting visitors to sit, recline and touch the surface of the tiles, making it both a contemplative sculpture and a welcoming shared space.
Much of the work is made from mining waste sourced from Żelazny Most in southwest Poland—one of Europe’s largest industrial depositories. By reusing waste as a material for craft, Patanowska highlights the hidden consequences of copper mining and consumer demand.
Alicja Patanowska is a Polish artist and designer whose practice combines traditional ceramic craft with experimental approaches to material reuse. Her work often explores the environmental and social impact of resource extraction, transforming waste into objects that carry both symbolic and functional value. Patanowska’s projects have been presented internationally, bridging craft, design, and ecological reflection.
Curator: Carrie Chan.
Producers: Catriona Macdonald and Adonis Fuyana.
Architect: Agata Woźniczka BUD CUD.
This installation is part of the UK/Poland Season 2025 co-organised by the Adam Mickiewicz Institute, British Council and Polish Cultural Institute in London, supported by the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage of the Republic of Poland as well as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Republic of Poland.
The UK/Poland Season 2025 is a diverse programme of over 100 multi-artform events in 40 cities in both countries. The Season will invigorate the UK-Poland cultural dialogue in addressing global challenges and will open new opportunities for cultural leaders and the next generation of artists.
