These murals can be found on a wall surrounding the so-called “Patelnia” (Pan), a precinct beside the entrance to the Centrum metro station. On the main wall you can see the Palace of Culture and Science, symbolizing the heart of Warsaw as well as the premises of Collegium Civitas. It consists of both coloured geometric patterns producing a kaleidoscopic effect, and images of the most characteristic buildings from around the world, thus reflecting the unique international character of the university.
The mural in Warsaw’s “Patelnia”, painted in September, came about thanks to the initiative of Collegium Civitas. But why is one of Poland’s best universities painting symbols of the world’s cities in this frequently visited area?
Collegium Civitas is an independent non-profit institution of higher education in which all its revenue is invested in developing educational activities including the provision of the highest quality teaching staff. Thanks to this approach adopted by Collegium Civitas, social scientists – including Fulbright scholars – from Oxford, the University of Tasmania and other leading world universities come to lecture here.
It is through the artistic mural that Collegium Civitas wants to draw attention to the enormous progress that the Polish higher education system has made over the last two decades. Polish universities have joined the global mainstream of science and are beginning to participate on an equal footing. Collegium Civitas is one of the principle leaders in the internationalisation of education; not only does it attract eminent scholars from around the world, but also students. Warsaw and the Palace of Culture and Science have become a recognizable symbol of education for students in many countries in Europe and beyond with Collegium Civitas acting as an intellectual hub including open access scientific seminars, conferences and exhibitions for participants from all over the world.
The mural points out the incredibly prosocial profile of our university, notes the Rector of Collegium Civitas, Prof. Stanisław Mocek. We would like to invite all those who are interested to study at Collegium Civitas and to participate in our open access seminars, debates and expert meetings. We encourage people to acquire further qualifications and to engage in lifelong learning; all that is good in our lives begins with education.
The mural is located on the wall surrounding Warsaw’s so-called “Patelnia” next to the Centrum metro station entrance, on the corner of Marszałkowska St. and Jerozolimskie Ave. in one of the busiest areas in Poland. As a result, the university wants to remind Varsovians and visitors of the importance of education and the merits of studying in Warsaw. The mural portrays our capital city symbolically as a city rooted in European and worldwide culture, open and friendly to young people, especially students.
The mural project is the brainchild of the graphic artist, Marta Lewandowska from Collegium Civitas, and was then realized by the agency, Good Looking. It incorporates world trends in street art and emphasizes innovative thinking, which is encouraged in Collegium Civitas students. The inspiration behind the project was São Paulo, which only permits the exhibition of art in the municipal space. The original murals that have influenced the artistic technique used in “Patelnia” can be seen on the streets of this Brazilian city. Good Looking, commissioned to do the mural, started work in the second week of September taking seven days to complete it. The mural can be seen by the public until mid-October.
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