The installation, entitled The Ripple Effect, has been commissioned by the museum from Polish artist Alicja Patanowska.
In her note accompanying the display, Patanowska writes: "The work, composed of 2,000 ceramic tiles, was created with a clay body containing waste material sourced from the Żelazny Most in southwest Poland, one of Europe’s largest tailings reservoirs.
"By transforming this discarded material into hand-made tiles, the work invites us to reflect on the hidden costs of extraction and how our consumer choices shape both ecology and society."
The installation includes a working fountain and built-in seating, offering visitors a chance to pause and reflect.
Patanowska explains that the installation “takes its name from the idea that every small action creates consequences – like ripples spreading across water.”
The Ripple Effect runs at the V&A Museum's John Madejski Garden until October 19.
Another Polish event at the museum is an exhibition Polish Posters Now! featuring 16 works by four leading contemporary artists: Ola Jasionowska, Patrycja Longawa, Kaja Renkas and Maja Wolna.
According to the museum’s publicity materials, the show introduces London audiences to the latest trends in Polish poster design, “highlighting the prominent place it occupies within the European art scene, continuing the tradition of the Polish School of Posters, renowned for its concise style, economy of form, and communicative power.“
The exhibition remains on display until February 8, 2026.
Both events are part of the UK/Poland Season 2025 project organised by the British Council, the Adam Mickiewicz Institute in Warsaw and the Polish Cultural Institute in London.
The project lasts until November and offers more than 100 events in 40 cities in both countries.
(mk/gs)