On August 18th 2021 in the Modular Houses Factory Unihouse SA in Bielsk Podlaski took place an official presentation of Prof. Leon Tarasewicz's work, which will be presented in Polish Pavilion during Expo 2020 in Dubai. Apart from Leon Tarasewicz, the special meeting was attended by Artur Kosicki, Marshal of Podlaskie Voivodeship, Marta Zielińska, Regional Promotion and Cooperation with Universities Coordinator in Expo Dubai 2020 Team and Jan Mikołuszko, Chairman of Unibep SA Supervisory Board. The conference was attended by journalists from several editorial offices.

What is a famous Polish abstract painter doing in a hall producing wooden houses? He paints, of course. The painter is Leon Tarasewicz, and the construction company which gave him access to its interior is Unibep, namely Unihouse, a company which produces modern and ecological multi-family buildings constructed from wooden-framed modules. This unusual meeting was initiated by the Marshal of Podlaskie Voivodeship.

The leitmotif of the world exhibition in Dubai is sustainable development, an idea which, in the era of pandemics and first heralds of ecological apocalypse, has become not only up-to-date, but even a moral imperative to act immediately. An answer to this challenge is the vision of Xylopolis proposed by the Podlaskie Voivodeship - the city of the future, based on an organic symbiosis of nature and technology. The promoter of such symbiosis is Unihouse, which has been specializing in modern wooden construction for over 13 years. And Leon Tarasewicz has also been emphasizing for years that he draws his abstract inspirations from the regularity of forest landscapes, the rhythm of field furrows, and even the geometry of bird flights.

We know about the master's work that it measures 13.5 by 3.4 meters, which gives a total area of almost 46 square meters. It is the largest work of art that Professor Tarasewicz has ever painted on canvas. It was created for over two weeks - almost every day the master from Walił spent several hours in Unihouse, realizing his vision of the work. The work surprises and inspires, it is charged with emotions. On October 1st it will be presented to the world, during Expo 2020 in Dubai. Professor Tarasewicz has also joined the group of Ambassadors of Poland and Podlasie participation in the World

Exhibition.
- This is a great challenge, the whole world will be watching us - said during the conference Podlasie Province Marshal Artur Kosicki, referring to Podlasie's participation in the World Exhibition. - We are ambitious, that is why at the exhibition in Dubai we wanted to present something extraordinary, unique, to show that we are ambitious. We wanted to attract visitors to the pavilion to our province, to invite them to learn more about it. Hence the extraordinary, unique, one of a kind person - Professor Leon Tarasewicz.

How and what was the idea for the work? The master explained that it shows the forest and the play of light in different periods. - Let us remember that it is going to be a part of the Polish Pavilion in Dubai and in such a case, when you design a work for it, on the one hand it should be independent, and on the other hand you know that it will be a background for other objects and showcases which are designed there,' Leon Tarasewicz explained. - I was left with the task of creating a synthesis of the four seasons, the forest interacting in different ways with the energy of light, so that it could function as part of the whole exhibition.

Jan Mikołuszko, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Unibep SA, was happy that the painting was done in Unihouse SA. - It is a fantastic thing - he said. He also stressed that Bielsk Podlaski is the center of wooden construction in Poland. - Here operate companies which successfully sell their products in almost all Europe. He also reminded that the idea of Xylopolis was born in Bielsk Podlaski, namely in Unibep Unitalent Group Foundation.

In turn, Marta Zielińska, coordinator of the regional promotion program and cooperation with universities from the Expo 2020 Dubai team said that: "Podlaskie's exhibition and the master's work are in line with the theme of Expo 2020 Dubai, which is 'Connecting Minds, Creating the Future'.
She added that Podlaskie is inaugurating its regional programme at the Expo, and will be present in the Polish Pavilion for over three weeks - from the opening of the exhibition to 24 October. - On the one hand it is obliging, but we have great hopes that the region will accept it as an obligation and as our great trust - she said.

World Expo 2020 in Dubai - the whole world in one place

World Expo are the largest and most prestigious events in the world, combining economic, promotional, cultural and tourist themes. Their scale is comparable to the Olympic Games or the World Football Championship.

Expo 2020 Dubai will be the first World Exhibition organized in an Arab country and, according to the organizers, it aspires to become the biggest show in history. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Expo 2020 in Dubai has been postponed by a year and will take place between October 1, 2021 and March 31, 2022 under the slogan: Connecting Minds, Creating the Future.

Poland at Expo 2020 in Dubai

Poland has been an active participant in the World Expositions for many years. The objectives of Poland's presence at Expo Dubai include both strengthening Poland's image on the international arena and economic promotion. The assumption is a multidimensional presentation of technologies and companies representing strategic industries in terms of export potential to Middle Eastern markets, and thus a real increase in business transactions.

The slogan of the Polish Pavilion is "Creativity inspired by nature". Poland will be presented as a strong center of cooperation, which through the development of science offers the world sustainable, environmentally friendly and nature-inspired technologies.

The Polish Investment and Trade Agency is responsible for Poland's participation in the Expo 2020 Dubai World Exhibition. The Ministry of Development and Technology is the project supervisor.

For more information, visit the website dedicated to Poland's participation in the World Expo: www.expo.gov.pl and the Poland at Expo social media channels: LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter.   

See the recording of the press conference