Have you ever noticed how some guardian angels are not perfect beings? These are the Praskie Aniołki. They are not perfectly beautiful. Instead they are familiar and cheerful. They are even a little feisty. Most of all they are full of character. That is Praga in Warsaw.
The Praskie Aniołki first appeared at Ząbkowska and Targowa streets in 2010. Marek Sułek created them. He repeatedly emphasized that the angels do not have religious references. Instead they refer to old Praga’s tradition of guardian angels and roadside shrines.
The artist proposed that each Praga street should have its own angel. These angels would be in gateways on window sills and on walls. This would create a route. People would discover interesting places in Praga by following it.
Currently there are six Praskie Aniołki. Galeria Wileńska sponsors one of them. In cooperation with Marek Sułek and VIAMODA, the angels were dressed in dedicated collections. These collections followed the latest trends for the autumn-winter season of 2015 and 2016.
Galeria Wileńska has been actively involved in Praga’s life for years. It engages in activities on the Vistula’s right bank. The gallery organizes educational workshops. It provides space for photo exhibitions. It also conducts joint activities with Teatr Powszechny and Kino Praha.
The Praskie Aniołki are made of artificial stone. This stone consists of colored epoxy resin silica flour sand and fiberglass. Marek Sułek from Kamionek is the artist. He wanted to evoke the tradition of picturesque roadside shrines in Praga. These shrines are present in many courtyards and street corners.
In September 2015 the Praskie Aniołki were dressed. This followed a global trend of dressing small architecture. Each angel’s outfit was designed individually. They followed the latest trends for the autumn-winter season of 2015 and 2016. Students from VIAMODA created the original accessories.
The first composition was called “Anielski Matecznik”. Initially there were four figures with wings and caricatured blue silhouettes. In the center sat a mother angel. Beside her were children. Two small angels stood on the right. An angel holding a kitten sat on the left. Unfortunately the monument was often vandalized. Today the composition only shows the mother with two children.
Another Praskie Aniołek called Borys the Traveler was placed in front of Dworzec Wschodni. The statue was installed after the renovation of the Warszawa Wschodnia railway station. The Van den Berg Art Gallery took care of him. Other Praskie Aniołki stand at the Wileńska Shopping Center and at the entrance to the Praga Północ District Office.
So as you wander around Praga look out for these quirky angels. They reflect Praga’s unique spirit. Each Praskie Aniołek tells a story of tradition art and community. Take a moment to appreciate these guardians of Praga. They embody the neighborhood’s resilience and charm. They remind us that imperfection can be beautiful and full of character.