Bailout Folks

Puławska 143

Looking weathered and worn, Bailout Folks takes its cue from Looney Tunes and applies the same cheerful artistic style. Painted in 2012 by Simpson, the word Bailout feels almost innocently outdated given the trials and tribulations that have since befallen the planet. Set on the side of a decrepit tenement, the scene is deliciously contrasted by the glass office block that rubs shoulders next door.

Kazimierz Górski

Madalińskiego 49/51

Legendary football coach Kazimierz Górski masterminded Poland’s famous draw at Wembley, before going on to stun the planet at the ’74 World Cup tournament. Playing a swashbuckling brand of football, the Eagles recorded epic wins over Argentina and Italy before falling short against the hosts West Germany in a semi-final remembered as “the water battle of Frankfurt”. Finishing third after beating Brazil, his fearless team left an unforgettable impression during this golden age of football.

100 Years of Polish Athletics

Orzycka 25

Unveiled at the end of 2021, this 460 sq/m mural depicts twenty-six athletes that changed Polish sport. Among the colourful characters are Halina Konopacka, the world record discus thrower that helped save Poland’s gold reserve during WWII; pole-vaulter Władysław Kozakiewicz who famously gave the crowd an ‘up yours’ gesture at the Moscow Olympics; long-distance runner Janusz Kusociński who was executed in 1940; and the hammer thrower, and three times Olympic champion, Anita Włodarczyk.

Margritte

Belgijska 5

Given the name of the street, when Poland and Belgium celebrated a century of diplomatic relations in 2019 ul. Belgijska was the natural choice on which to paint a mural. Titled ‘In tribute to Rene Magritte’, the work was executed by the Belgian street artist Oli-B. Connections to Belgium do not end there. In recent months, the same road has seen a replica of Mannekin Pis added as part of a grassroots social initiative.

Rooster’s Egg

Racławicka 17

Arguably the most iconic of Mokotów’s al fresco artworks, the Rooster’s Egg was created by the German artist Dome in 2013 – to this day, it stops people in their tracks. Incorporating elements of Classicism and Baroque, this monochromatic effort is reputedly an allegorical comment on family relationships. Costing PLN 10,000 to implement, it has aged gracefully and looks as striking now as it did when it premiered.

Love

Dąbrowskiego 81

Inspired by the book Love in the Time of Cholera by Gabriel Garcia Marquez, this beauty was created on the prompting of the annual Big Book Festival. Painted by street artist Mikołaj Rejs, the mural was designed with a dual purpose: to promote reading and, simultaneously, to act as a record of the times. Completed in the summer of 2020, the face mask worn by the male figure is a reminder of the pandemic.

Women

Corner of Jana Bytnara / Marzanny

Adorning the side of an Italian restaurant, Women lacks the ‘stop-me-dead’ size of other murals. Nevertheless, it’s a jaunty, punchy effort that pays tribute to the indomitable strength of women. Painted by an unknown artist, it’s the highlight of Mokotów’s many low-level murals found decorating garages, yards and side alleys.

Centaur

Dolna 37

By Warsaw’s standards, this mural can be considered something of a veteran. Painted by the Italian artist Pixel Pancho in 2012, this complex artwork shows a mechanical centaur clad in Roman armour taking aim at a simpering robotic stag. Age has wearied the work, but the peeling paint and accumulated grime serve only to add character – if anything, this deterioration gives the sense of a diamond in the rough.