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Competition for a mural on Galeria Krakowska

Kraków’s landscape will be enriched by yet another mural with literary connotations – an international competition will choose a project design for the northern wall of the Galeria Krakowska shopping centre. The author of the winning project, inspired by the works of Stanisław Lem, will be awarded 15 000 PLN!

– We are inviting artists of visual arts, especially street-art artists to participate in the competition, says Artur Wabik, a Cracovian artist and art director of the competition. – Their experience is not the most important criterion. We look forward to entries coming both from experienced and beginner artists.

The competition has been developed by Skanska The company is currently implementing a complex of office buildings (High5ive) at ul. Pawia, in the direct neighbourhood of the planned mural. Our investment brings to completion a long-term process of revitalisation of the area around the main railroad station in Kraków, says Ewa Koziana of Skanska Property Poland. – The mural competition and the later implementation of the winning project will help improve the quality of the public space around High5ive, she adds.

– Four years have passed since the last international mural competition (“Mall Wall Art”) the result of which was implemented on the (railway station) side of the Galeria Krakowska building, recalls Jarosław Szymczak, the director of the Shopping Centre. – The art piece by Justyna Posiecz-Polkowska, with its references to the legacy of Jan Szczepkowski, has become a permanent part of the city landscape. I hope that the new mural will become yet another modern showpiece for Kraków.

The High5ive buildings, Galeria Krakowska and the main Railway Station, are part of Kraków’s communication hub, the area where pedestrian traffic intersects with car, tram and railway transport. This means that the winning project will be looked at, on a daily basis, by thousands of passengers, inhabitants and employees of the nearby office complex. Designing a mural that will be attractive for such a large target audience is quite a challenge in its own right.

The main theme of the competition, the legacy of a renowned Cracovian writer, Stanisław Lem, can make the design work a little easier. His works are a perfect reference for this space. – We hope that the iconic work of this author will become inspiration for participants, says Robert Piaskowski. Deputy Programme Director for Programming at Kraków Festival Office, one of the partners of the competition. – As it happens, the choice of the theme is very much part of the long-term programme aimed at cultivating the memory of Stanisław Lem, developed by the Krakow Festival Office, within the UNESCO City of Literature framework. The culmination of this programme is planned for the author’s approaching 100th birthday anniversary, comments Robert Piaskowski.

Murals are an inextricable part of the urban landscape. They become part of the historical, social and urban context of cities. Increasingly, such artistic interventions are brought to life not only by artists but also private investors. Through cooperation with municipal authorities and local entities, together they improve public spaces. Similarly to this particular initiative, such efforts are often coordinated jointly by a number of public and private institutions, which, in effect, broadens their scope, guarantees proper implementation and boosts the overall prestige. – Stanisław Lem had an uncanny instinct for deciphering human nature. This is why his books continue to have a fresh and contemporary feel even today, adds Artur Wabik. – I wish all of the competition participants that their work and projects submitted for the competition should prove equally timeless as part of the city fabric.

The competition entries can be submitted via an interactive form on the competition’s website: http://skanska.aitnetapp.com/competition starting from 5 June till 31 August 2017.  The competition results will be made available in the first half of September. The award ceremony will become one of the events accompanying the 96th birthday anniversary celebrations of Stanisław Lem. The implementation of the winning project is planned for autumn this year. The main award in the competition is 15 000 PLN.

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News Publisher: Otwarty na świat EN
Published: 2017-06-07
Last update: 2017-07-25
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