PLATO Café is a bistro/café/bar turned into an original work of art by the Polish visual artist, performer and stage designer Dominika Olszowy. The artist was inspired by the Chinese zodiac, and particularly the Earth as the domain of the Year of the Dog.

“In her work, in terms of form, Dominika Olszowy moves on the boundary between different media and, in terms of content, between the subconscious, intuition, dream and reality. Her PLATO Café project becomes a proper café, bistro and bar; an environmental work of art and an exhibition project open to many levels and artists. It is platform for meetings and activities and an open place for reinforcing interpersonal relationships, friendship and collaboration.

PLATO Café has originated in the Year of the Dog, whose domain is the earth, its main theme is the subconscious and its colour is brown. The Year of the Dog is a time of friendship and the strengthening of interpersonal relations. The spiritual sphere of life is going to be much more important this year. It is also a time of collaboration and manifestation of increased mutual tolerance. PLATO Café has shrouded in brown and coffee colours, becoming the ambassador of these values. The bar features pieces of furniture – amulets with embedded stones with magical strengthening properties. A certain kind of energy and strength corresponds to each table and chair. Visitors can arrange their own energetic compilation according to their needs. Olszowy’s environmentalist exhibition project rouses from complacency and incites action – “slow café” to bolster the spirit. ”

Jakub Adamec

Dominika Olszowy (1987, Gorzów Wielkopolski, PL) graduated from the Faculty of Inter-media at the Poznan University of the Arts. In her work she treads the boundaries of different media (video, performance, sculpture, object, installation and stage design). In 2008 she created the ephemeral Sandra art gallery. She was a member of the radical hip-hop duo Cipedrapskuad; she is a co-founder of the Horsefuckers M.C. moped “gang”. She lives and works in Warsaw.