The exhibition „Amber – Gold of the North, Treasure of Poland” is an interesting combination of different perspectives on amber. The Polish „perspective” is represented by designer Bożena Kamińska and the company S&A Jewellery Design: here amber stands in the center, it is the material to which all other elements are subordinated, and its beauty in itself is what gives the jewelry its value. In Slovenian designers such as Jelke Kodre, Jure Kodre, Žarko Ognjenović, Nataša Grandovec, Christoph Steidl Porente, Petra Bole, Rosanne Raljević Ceglar-Niiro and Sandra Kocjančič, amber is a minimalist, valuable addition to avant-garde ideas, an inspiration and an idea for using a local material.
The exhibition is complemented by 18 large-format photographs showing Baltic amber, its history, use in medicine and cosmetics, and of course in jewelry making. For the Slovenian audience, this is an opportunity to learn about the creativity of artists and producers of amber jewelry other than those featured in the exhibition. The exhibition was accompanied by amber workshops led by Polish designer Bożena Kamińska, which introduced participants to amber and its extraordinary properties. „The guests who gathered in large numbers for the opening long admired the exhibited jewelry, and the opportunity to see the unique amber ‘live’ delighted them and inspired them to visit the Polish Coast and places related to amber” – Bogumiła Płachtej-Pavlin from the Embassy of the Republic of Poland in Ljubljana did not hide her satisfaction, who – in cooperation with the International Association of Amber Collectors, the S&A company and the „Amber – Treasure of Poland” consortium and Eryk Popkiewicz – organized this exhibition.
The Polish Embassy in Ljubljana, in cooperation with the Honorary Consulate of the Polish Embassy in Nova Gorica, also organized amber workshops in the inspiring landscapes of the Polish Cultural Embassy in Plesevo. The ladies invited, under the guidance of Polish jewelry designer Bożena Kamińska, learned about amber and its extraordinary properties, creating their own amber creations: jewelry, paintings, and mandalas. The participants had the opportunity to learn not only about the artistic but also the health benefits of amber and its history. „The meeting became an opportunity to present the uniqueness of Baltic amber and its significance for the Polish jewelry industry, which produces up to 70 percent of all amber jewelry in Europe. Amber was once again a good opportunity to better get to know each other and promote Poland in Slovenia,” concluded Bogumiła Płachtej-Pavlin.