Stop for a moment and think about your perceptions of Poland during the communist years - the so called “
PRL
” era. Chances are your mind will conjure up visions of bleak, colourless, concrete cityscapes with miserable old grannies and drunks trudging through the slush pulling trolleys laden with potatoes and toilet paper behind them. That vision may be partly true, however, hold your horses now, the reality was actually brighter and more exciting than our history teachers and the western media have led us to believe.
One of the more interesting state-endorsed projects of the time was to encourage the installation of neon signage. Although the popularity of neons in Poland continued into the 1970's, the high point lasted from the late 1950s to the mid 1960s , with the programme employing 1000s of people in the design, production, installation and maintenance of these "liquid fire" signs. Almost every application from state-run companies, cinemas, restaurants, cafes and theatres was quickly rubber-stamped, signed and given the go-ahead. Warsaw saw the installation of the most neons in the country but was closely followed by Katowice , as the state wished to emphasise the economic success of its industrial heartland.
First shown at the Paris Motor Show in 1910, neon lighting rapidly became the medium for advertising. Soon after, cities like Paris, Berlin and New York were ablaze with colour by night, and the signs were seen as symbols of modernity, progress, energy and the cultural high-life. Even today, it would be hard to imagine a sight which says more about financial success and a happy-go-lucky approach to leisure time than a photo of Las Vegas at night.
One important cultural difference is that in Poland neon signs were, more often than not, designed by some of the country's top artists and graphic designers who were drafted in to add contemporary and creative flair to the projects.
In Warsaw , the neons certainly brightened up the city, but in reality they also served as a convenient veneer, covering over the fact that behind the modernist façades and bright lights, the shelves of shops were regularly empty or that the glamorously advertised restaurants and cafes could rarely sell you a beer or a bite to eat.
As the country drifted into the economic despair of the 1970s the last thing on people's minds was fancy energy wasting advertising, proclaiming non-existent lifestyles and goods. Poland's neon lights started going out and, due to a lack of maintenance and general apathy, they were quickly forgotten about. The collapse of communism and the hatred of anything to do with that era saw many important architectural buildings torn down and neons tossed into the dustbin of history, or simply left to fall into further states of disrepair and neglect.
Nobody deserves more credit for the resurgence of interest in Polish neon than the photographer Ilona Karwińska and designer David S Hill . Karwińska has been documenting the neons of Warsaw, and throughout Poland, since 2005 and her coffee table tome - Polish Cold War Neon - is a lavish photographic record of the most iconic neons in the country. An exhibition of her photographs has travelled extensively throughout Europe and was instrumental in raising the profile of Polish neon and letterforms to new audiences.
Not content with simply recording the objects, in 2012 the pair opened the Neon Museum in the fashionable Soho Factory (ul. Mińska 25, building 55, Praga Południe), a complex of design and architect offices, shops, restaurants and publishers in the Praga district of Warsaw. The museum is home to over 50 neons and around 500 letterforms as well as a huge archive of documents, blueprints, photographs and original plans relating to the history of these signs. The gift shop also features a unique selection of neon-inspired designer products.
Other buildings around the Soho Factory complex also play host to some of the neons from the collection, so be sure to check out the wall spaces and rooftops while wandering around. These outdoor exhibits come to life after dark, but do keep in mind that the museum itself closes in the evenings. Another important aspect of the museum's work is to renovate and maintain neons which are still 'in-situ' around the city. On of their high-profile on-site projects was the renovation of the ' Syrenka ' (the Warsaw mermaid symbol) perched upon an open book and a giant pencil at the former public library at ul. Grójecka 81/87.
Interestingly, much of the renovation and restoration work carried out for the museum is undertaken by Reklama , a local company whose history dates back to the 1950s and who were the original producers of many of the neons which they are now restoring. Some of the highly skilled employees still recall working on the originals during the late 1960s and early 1970s!
A Brief History of Neon Signage in Poland & Warsaw
After the death of Stalin in 1953, Poland's authorities were well aware of the opportunity to break free from the shackles of the Socialist Realist urban vision and a less restrictive and artistically creative period for architects, designers and city planners ensued.One of the more interesting state-endorsed projects of the time was to encourage the installation of neon signage. Although the popularity of neons in Poland continued into the 1970's, the high point lasted from the late 1950s to the mid 1960s , with the programme employing 1000s of people in the design, production, installation and maintenance of these "liquid fire" signs. Almost every application from state-run companies, cinemas, restaurants, cafes and theatres was quickly rubber-stamped, signed and given the go-ahead. Warsaw saw the installation of the most neons in the country but was closely followed by Katowice , as the state wished to emphasise the economic success of its industrial heartland.
First shown at the Paris Motor Show in 1910, neon lighting rapidly became the medium for advertising. Soon after, cities like Paris, Berlin and New York were ablaze with colour by night, and the signs were seen as symbols of modernity, progress, energy and the cultural high-life. Even today, it would be hard to imagine a sight which says more about financial success and a happy-go-lucky approach to leisure time than a photo of Las Vegas at night.
One important cultural difference is that in Poland neon signs were, more often than not, designed by some of the country's top artists and graphic designers who were drafted in to add contemporary and creative flair to the projects.
In Warsaw , the neons certainly brightened up the city, but in reality they also served as a convenient veneer, covering over the fact that behind the modernist façades and bright lights, the shelves of shops were regularly empty or that the glamorously advertised restaurants and cafes could rarely sell you a beer or a bite to eat.
As the country drifted into the economic despair of the 1970s the last thing on people's minds was fancy energy wasting advertising, proclaiming non-existent lifestyles and goods. Poland's neon lights started going out and, due to a lack of maintenance and general apathy, they were quickly forgotten about. The collapse of communism and the hatred of anything to do with that era saw many important architectural buildings torn down and neons tossed into the dustbin of history, or simply left to fall into further states of disrepair and neglect.
The Neon Museum & Warsaw's Neon Revival
Today's interest in all things retro and the burgeoning contemporary arts scene in Warsaw means that the importance and preservation of the city's neons has become a matter of urgency and necessity. A new generation of Varsovians see these iconic works as part of a cultural legacy and a unique part of the city's heritage , rather than simply a by-product of a much-despised totalitarian system.Nobody deserves more credit for the resurgence of interest in Polish neon than the photographer Ilona Karwińska and designer David S Hill . Karwińska has been documenting the neons of Warsaw, and throughout Poland, since 2005 and her coffee table tome - Polish Cold War Neon - is a lavish photographic record of the most iconic neons in the country. An exhibition of her photographs has travelled extensively throughout Europe and was instrumental in raising the profile of Polish neon and letterforms to new audiences.
Not content with simply recording the objects, in 2012 the pair opened the Neon Museum in the fashionable Soho Factory (ul. Mińska 25, building 55, Praga Południe), a complex of design and architect offices, shops, restaurants and publishers in the Praga district of Warsaw. The museum is home to over 50 neons and around 500 letterforms as well as a huge archive of documents, blueprints, photographs and original plans relating to the history of these signs. The gift shop also features a unique selection of neon-inspired designer products.
Other buildings around the Soho Factory complex also play host to some of the neons from the collection, so be sure to check out the wall spaces and rooftops while wandering around. These outdoor exhibits come to life after dark, but do keep in mind that the museum itself closes in the evenings. Another important aspect of the museum's work is to renovate and maintain neons which are still 'in-situ' around the city. On of their high-profile on-site projects was the renovation of the ' Syrenka ' (the Warsaw mermaid symbol) perched upon an open book and a giant pencil at the former public library at ul. Grójecka 81/87.
Interestingly, much of the renovation and restoration work carried out for the museum is undertaken by Reklama , a local company whose history dates back to the 1950s and who were the original producers of many of the neons which they are now restoring. Some of the highly skilled employees still recall working on the originals during the late 1960s and early 1970s!
Where to See Iconic Neon Signs Around Warsaw Today
Head back towards the city centre to check out the lovely neon roses and letterforms outside the legendary health and beauty centre IZIS (a business establish way back in 1927) at ul. Marszałkowska 55/73.
Warsaw's stunning (in our opinion at least) early 1970s Central railway station (Dworzec Centralny) may have undergone an upgrade, but in keeping with the design the façade has kept its chunky neon name. The new pavilions in the main hall are also adorned with retro neon signs. Cross the road to Plac Defilad and check out the 1963 Warszawa Śródmieście (Warsaw City-centre) railway station with its functional, austere and old-school socialist rooftop neon. You'll find more neons by taking a walk round the exterior of the Palace of Culture.
One of the crowning glories of Warsaw neons must be the globe which sits atop the Orbis Hotel at the corner of ul. Bracka and Al. Jerozolimskie. The 'Globus Orbis' may look spectacular but, sadly, the current version is actually a modern replica. The original, installed in 1951, was one of the oldest neons in the city. Due to corrosion and neglect it was deemed to be unrestorable and was replaced with the new model in 2011.
