The project, entitled "Within the City - Urban Art," aims to show off the works of renowned international artists such as the muralist Banksy and the French mosaic maker Invader, as well as notable Polish talents—aligning with the city's designation as the European City of Science for 2024 while building on a street art legacy of iconoclastic fun.
The "Within the City - Urban Art" project plans for eight mosaics and art in 30 locations around Katowice, which is also known as a heavy industry leader, somewhat mired in a legacy of exploitative urban development.
Visitors can admire a piece by James Cauty at the Customer Service Office, a creation by Paco Pomet at the Katowice History Museum, and Vika Muniz's work in the city's Nikiszowiec district.
The culmination of this project is a temporary exhibition scheduled to open on May 1 at a venue on Staromiejska Street, promising an array of art from major artists such as Andy Warhol, Roy Lichtenstein, Banksy, Obey, Robert Indiana, Stik, David LaChapelle, Kaws, and Damien Hirst.
At the heart of this project are the colorful mosaics inspired by the iconic Pac-Man video game characters - Pinky, Inky, Blinky, and Clyde.
These have been installed on the roof of Katowice City Hall. Additional installations are placed near higher education institutions on Bankowa, Koszarowa, Mikołowska and Panewnicka Streets, reflecting an ongoing playful wrestling of art with academia.
The exhibition is set to feature several dozen original artworks, including limited edition prints, posters, photos, sculptures, figures, and everyday items, all from private collections.
The showcase aims to highlight the vast popularity and aesthetic value of street art, with contributions from top European street artists and a distinguished Polish artist creating special pieces for the city.
Poland has a decades-long tradition of murals and other expressions of street art. Artworks dot the landscape of virtually all of Poland's major cities and some are revered as iconic expressions of local folk art or commemorations of important events.
Warsaw, Kraków, Gdańsk, Poznań, Łódź as well as Katowice are home to a large variety of artistic expression, covering the otherwise bland façades of multi-story communist-era apartment buildings, the undersides of bridges or abandoned industrial facilities.
Over the last two decades, Katowice has been through a veritable transformation, aimed at leaving behind its image as a polluted and neglected, sprawling industrial town.
Mayor Marcin Krupa emphasized the project's intent to demonstrate the appeal of street art and its potential to beautify the city, spotlighting works by globally recognized artists.
The initiative represents a collaboration between the city government and academic institutions, including the Katowice Academy of Fine Arts and the Karol Szymanowski Academy of Music.
(rt/gs)
Source: PAP