Does attempting to encapsulate contemporary art in urban space in the form of a practical list or, heaven forbid, a spreadsheet make sense? The need for organization and synthesis of the rapidly evolving phenomenon led the initiators of the research project, Monika Wróbel and Aleksandra Litorowicz, to devise a method for doing so.

Thus, the book “Art. Update” (Publisher: Puszka Foundation) was born, recounting the tale of public art in Warsaw in recent years. What is visible in the public space of Warsaw is examined through the analysis of documented 1090 artistic realizations: monuments, murals, installations, sculptures, and neon signs from the years 1989–2023, as well as events: happenings, performances, actions, and other community artistic activities from the years 2015–2023.

What is Warsaw’s art like when seen from a bird’s-eye view? What is visible beyond its individual phenomena? What constructs the landscape of memory and the visuality of the capital? Does art invent the city and deal with contemporaneity? What changes? Who creates it, and who pays for it? The authors of individual chapters answer these questions through various prisms – numbers, trends, time, aesthetics, memory, conflict, investment value, and public service.

About the Book

“Art. Update. What is Visible in Warsaw’s Public Space” edited by Aleksandra Litorowicz and Monika Wróbel
Publisher: Puszka Foundation, Warsaw, 2023, free publication
Texts: Sebastian Cichocki, Olga Drenda, Maciej Frąckowiak, Marek Krajewski, Aleksandra Litorowicz, Jess Łukawska, Szymon Maliborski, Kuba Snopek, Monika Wróbel
Language editing and proofreading: Justyna Chmielewska
Graphic design and layout: Pracownia Zbytki
Illustrations and infographics: Aubo Lessi
The publication was created as part of the “Update. Warsaw and its public art” project carried out by the Puszka Foundation and co-financed by the funds of the Capital City of Warsaw.