M for Metro.
M for Metro. Works of Wojciech Fangor in Warsaw
Have you seen the M-shaped entrances to the Metro in Warsaw? Or maybe you noticed the names of the stations: Świętokrzyska, Uniwersytet or Rondo ONZ? These are things that reveal Wojciech Fangor’s character.
Wojciech Fangor
Wojciech Fangor (1922 – 2015) – a well-known Polish painter, draftsman, sculptor and poster artist. He is considered one of the last “great masters” of the 20th century. In the early 1960s, he became famous for his ‘pulsating’ painting – abstract paintings that gave the impression of movement. His painting experiments were groundbreaking not only in Poland, but likewise in art around the globe.
The works of this famous Varsovian can be found in various places in the city. Only 300 meters from KLUB DIALOGU Polish Language School there are other, often ignored by passers-by, Fangor accents that decorate our surroundings. An ordinary subway journey to a Polish language course can be a time to encounter colourful mosaics. What are we talking about here?
It’s worth looking around!
The mosaics that decorate the Warsaw Śródmieście Railway Station were entered into the national register of monuments last year. In total, there are 52 ceiling mosaics – it’s worth looking up sometimes! – as well as 27 mosaics that are in the halls and in the former waiting rooms along the side platforms. The tiles were made in the Faience Works in Włocławek, and some of the necessary dyes were even imported from Italy.
Meet Wojciech Fangor at exhibitions!
For fans of Fangor and art lovers, the Polish Language School KLUB DIALOGU has good news! Until March 2023, you can see two exhibitions celebrating the 100th anniversary of the artist’s birth: ‘Fangor. Poza Obraz‘ in Gdańsk https://www.mng.gda.pl/wystawy/fangor-poza-obraz/ and ‘Fangor. Wielowymiarowy’ at the Centre of Contemporary Art in Warsaw https://u-jazdowski.pl/program/wystawy/fangor-wielodimensional
Images courtesy of Wikimedia: https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?search=fangor+metro&title=Special:MediaSearch&go=Go&type=image
