Milan, Lombardy, Italy
Dorota Stępniak is a curator, researcher, and lecturer working at the intersection of art, design, and fashion. In her practice, she explores how contemporary individuals redefine their place in a dynamically changing reality. She works with critical and speculative thinking, analyzing social, cultural, and technological transformations. She is the founder of the Content Story Foundation and the curator of numerous exhibitions and projects, including: Body (European Capital of Culture Wrocław 2016), Human – Distribution of Resources II (Zamek Cieszyn, 2017), Overload (2018), About the Undiscovered Future (2020), The Charm of Knowledge (Gdynia Design Days 2021), and Glitch. True Porcelain Lasts Forever (2021–2022). She is the originator of the first design festival in Poland - Łódź Design (2007–2011), and served as Operations Manager of FashionPhilosophy Fashion Week Poland. From 2016 to 2020, she was a regular collaborator with the IDZ - International Design Center in Berlin. She is a recipient of the Contemporary Art Markets scholarship at Nuova Accademia di Belle Arti (NABA) in Milan, a graduate of Service Design at SWPS University in Warsaw and Textile Architecture at Lodz University of Technology and VORN Academy in Berlin. As a consultant, she supports creatives and companies in building strategies for projects, events, and services. She lectures at the Institute of Fahion at the Academy of Fine Arts in Łódź, where she leads her original course Manifest in the Creative Process. Tutor | Curator | Consultant for Creative Industries Founder of Content Story Foundation | Event Designer at Dorota Stepniak Studio
At Content Story, we believe in the transformative power of creativity, conscious design, and quality information to drive social change. Since its establishment in 2017, our foundation has focused on implementing groundbreaking projects at the intersection of design, art, technology, fashion, science, and user experience. Some notable projects include: >The Charm of Knowledge Exhibition for Gdynia Design Days, 2021 >About The Undiscovered Future Publication for London Design Biennial & Dutch Design Week, 2020 >Undiscovered - Stories About Experience Conference, Warsaw, 2019 >Overload Exhibition, Member of Gdynia Design Days Program Board, 2018 >Human. Distribution of Resources II Exhibition for Zamek Cieszyn, 2017 >Body Exhibition for the European Capital of Culture, Wroclaw, 2016 Through collaborations with experts across various fields, we tackle complex problems with fresh ideas, alternative perspectives, and innovative strategies.
As a Visiting Professor at the Institute of Fashion, Academy of Fine Arts in Łódź, one of Poland’s most prestigious art institutions since 1945, I created and lead a program aimed at helping students develop a thoughtful and intentional creative path. The program encourages critical analysis, historical awareness, and an exploration of design and contemporary art from multiple perspectives. My goal is to guide students toward a curatorial approach to their work, helping them build a deeper understanding of their creative process within a broader cultural and artistic context.
At Dorota Stępniak Studio, we specialize in designing innovative and immersive event concepts that elevate corporate and cultural experiences. Our work focuses on creating spaces that foster meaningful connections, enhance brand identity, and provide lasting value. We believe in designing environments that inspire engagement, spark creativity, and facilitate the development of new relationships. By blending aesthetics with strategic thinking, we ensure every event aligns with our clients' vision and goals, leaving a memorable impact. Over the years, our studio has collaborated with prominent brands and organizations, including Bespoke, Endorfina Events, Idea, Live, and Kooperatywa Kreatywna, delivering tailor-made solutions for every project.
Using the attention of Valentine's Day and more and more often anti-Valentine's Day, we wanted to emphasize the fact that although the durability of love can be discussed nowadays, the longevity of porcelain is a fact! The exhibition is a bold paraphrase of the saying TRUE LOVE LASTS FOREVER, in which the word LOVE was manifestly replaced with the word PORCELAIN. The Glitch Lab collective, under the curatorial supervision of Dorota Stępniak, once again restores third grade porcelain, giving it a new, full-fledged character through artistic intervention. Visible provocative slogans such as taste me, lick me, touch me, born broken or nope refer both to the nature of porcelain as a material and to Valentine's and anti-Valentine's relationships. The crowning piece of the project is the BĘC totem.
The first edition of Glitch Lab - Fuck The Porcelain is to restore the third genre and give it a new life through artistic intervention, thus increasing its market value and building a unique collection available at the Targi Rzeczy Ładnych fair in Warsaw. The exhibition and the products inspired by it are the creative rebellion of Arkadiusz Szwed, who, immersed in the factory and educational process, sees the duality of existing standards and wants to start a dialogue between creators, producers and recipients. The project draws attention to the complicated and multi-stage production process of ceramic objects and the highly qualified knowledge of factory employees who watch over it to eliminate errors. Glitch exhibition and stand. Fuck The Porcelain provokes us to evaluate how to value an object today.
The Charm of Knowledge exhibition explores the role of women and the delicate balance between data, experience, and the broader ecosystem. It tells a story of resource management and self-understanding, aiming to foster deeper, more meaningful connections. The phrase "to be under a charm" carries both positive and negative connotations, reflecting the dual nature of influence. The exhibition examines how concepts like self-sufficiency, solidarity, and generational knowledge were perceived in the past, and how they continue to shape our language and attitudes today. It also delves into the enduring archetypes of the Great Mother, Baba Yaga, and the evil stepmother, questioning why certain forces remain hidden beneath the surface of our consciousness. Artist: Agnieszka Bar
Gdynia Design Days is the leading Baltic region festival of inspiration and practical and valuable knowledge about design, featuring the latest trends and best practice – rich in curated exhibitions, lectures, workshops, talks and discussions, all aimed at professionals, entrepreneurs and design enthusiasts in search of new ways of working. Thus in July Gdynia becomes the best place for both business and creative industries to meet and discuss how best to evolve through better design.
The Overload exhibition challenges our ability to process the world around us. In a time of constant change and information overload, we find ourselves lost in an endless stream of data, struggling to discern what is real. Our brains and nervous systems are not designed for such fast-paced, continuous input, and as a result, we've lost the ability to predict, plan, or even fully engage with the present. The exhibition presents critical projects that examine the social phenomena and self-examination underlying this modern condition. We are fatigued, numb, and overwhelmed by the constant stimuli—our internal systems seem to be crashing. Is this overload a mistake, or simply a natural part of our evolving experience?