DALeast, Aryz, Borondo, Okuda, Awer, and many more on the one street! Yeah, we‘re talking about Łódź, but not about Piotrkowska Street.
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Some of you may be wondering – why did you write an article about the longest street in Lodz? Normal people write about the city or specific mural. Yes, that’s true but I wanted to show you not one polite face of my city. My point is to uncover before you the real image of Lodz and walking on Pomorska Street definitely will help me with that.
Pomorska Street starts in the city center (Plac Wolności) and ends in Nowosolna (this is a perfectly designed part of Lodz but it is a story for another time). Walking down will allow you to discover the Roundabout of Lost Time, the student campus, the medical complex from the future, and even the forest. Of course, the whole journey you will be accompanied by street art! Not only murals but also tags, stencils, and others. Just take a good look around!
Street Art in Łódź: Murals at Pomorska Street
In this post, I give the locations of murals on or visible from Pomorska Street. Sometimes, I additionally share photos of other art forms you may meet along this route. However, I won’t give their exact location – I’m keen for you to look around and experience what’s around you. No shortcuts here. 😉
Street Art in Łódź: the map
I’m currently working on a map of Lodz, which includes a lot of the things I describe on my blog. If you want me to let you know when it’s ready – write to me: partofstreets@gmail.com.
You can also find Lodz on the Street Art Cities app. It’s a platform that will make your life easier if you travel to see murals.
Ślepy Maks by Martyn Gill, Pomorska 11 st.
Is it OK to paint murals in memory of gangsters? Probably not, but in Lodz we sometimes have strange customs. That’s why, at 11 Pomorska Street, you’ll find a mural dedicated to Blind Max (Ślepy Maks) and a bar he used to be a regular visitor.
Blind Max, or Maks Borsztajn, is a figure we like to talk about in Lodz. He is a kind of gangster but with principles. He found the lost belongings of honest people, organized “exams” for thieves, and ran the Office of Requests and Applications. In a nutshell, quite a colorful guy.
The author of the mural is Martyn Gill – an animator, illustrator, artist, and student of the Academy of Fine Arts in Łódź. The mural catches the eye with its specific color palette, as well as its strong contours. For me, it has a bit of a pop art vibe. The work was created in 2020.
By the way, there is an excellent sushi place next to the mural. You can read more about it HERE.
The Blue Birds by Vera Icon, Pomorska 22 St.
There are different types of murals in Lodz, including religious ones. One of them you can find on Pomorska Street. The project is the collective work of Father Tomasz Biłek with the VERA ICON – a group of Christian artists, including Paulina Nawrot, Aleksandra Adamczuk, Jacek Hajnos, Karolina Tłuszek and Konrad Koch. The mural was created on the 7th anniversary of the Pope’s approval of the Order of the Brothers Preachers (the Dominicans). Well, the plan was to paint seven murals on the 7th anniversary but so far only three have been created, including this one on Pomorska Street.
Vicious Delicious by KENOR, Pomorska 28 st. (covered)
It used to be a great mural here but unfortunately, the building’s owner decided that an advertising banner would look better on the wall than a piece of art. However, if you look carefully, you see that the parts of Kenor’s mural are still sticking out from underneath the banner. The art was created for the International Festival of Spanish-Language Culture Viva Flamenco.
But don’t worry. It is not the only KENOR’s mural in Lodz. The other, created for the Urban Forms Foundation, can be found at 32 Kościuszki Avenue.
Mural by GOUDA WORKS, Pomorska 7 st.
At the junction of streets Pomorska and Rewolucji 1905 r. you will find an advertising mural. However, it is worth paying attention to it. It was created by Gouda, an artist from Łódź. You will find buildings and other elements related to Łódź on it. For example the factories, Manhattan (this is how the estate of the first skyscrapers in Lodz is called), the Łódź House of Culture and the Central Textile House (or, as we like to say here, the Łódź Palace of Culture and Science because of its similarity in appearance to the one in Warsaw). There is also Plac Wolności and sculptures from Piotrkowska Street – a table of factory owners, a poet – Julian Tuwim and, of course, a unicorn.
It’s only an advertising mural, but how much it tells us about Łódź!
Yrwig, Pomorska 60 st.
The mural is new, as is the community center that was created at this address. It’s all thanks to the Swim for a Dream foundation and the implementation of their project “We are sailing into wide waters.” Their goal is to increase the availability of daycare places for children and young people in need of support from Lodz. The author of the mural is Andrzej “Yrwig” Krupinski.
Love Letter by Aryz, Pomorska 67
One of the most recognizable murals of Lodz. Created by the Spanish artist Aryz. The mural fits perfectly here and for many reasons. The artist has made perfect use of the wall’s format and has chosen colours that harmonize with the surroundings. What’s more, these are colours created by mixing paints and their shade is almost impossible to replicate. If someone wanted to achieve this effect, it would take them a lot of time.
What’s more, the mural does not only exist in the real world. A virtual version of it appeared in the game Devil May Cry, where the player could see it on one of the walls. How awesome is this!
Untitiled, Borondo, Pomorska 67 st.
How stunning this mural is can only be noticed from quite a distance. It took me a very long time to realize how this mural is full of character and also… disturbing!
The author of the mural is Gonzalo Borondo. A Spanish artist who lives and works between Spain and Italy. His artistic research revolves around the value of memory and heritage, with a focus on the historical features of spaces.
Drugie życie fabryki by Andrzej Poprostu, Wyczes, Pomorska 79 st.
It’s time for a mural that we can look at in two ways – in a way like you always look at mural or… you can use your smartphone and be a witness of the mural’s moving!
The mural at 79 Pomorska Street was created in 2016 as part of the second edition of the Energy of the City. Festival organized by the Urban Forms Foundation. The mural shows us a story about the textile industry in Lodz. By using the word “shows” I mean it! So use your phone and observe how the mural comes to life.
Extra Volume by Victor Splash, Pomorska 84
A mural that spills out of the wall. This is how the work of Victor Puzin (alias Splash) can be described.
Moments after the mural was finished, fans of one of the football clubs in Łódź decided to enrich the mural with tags in its lower part. For this reason, Slash once again visited Lodz to repair his masterpiece. He did it like a pro – the offensive tags were painted over with the author’s signatures and were placed in the frame. Unfortunately, the hooligans are in Lodz every day, but Splash isn’t, so his tag was once again covered with the work of local writers after a while. 😉
Wow, you’ve read so far? You really must love murals! So, maybe think about a guided tour? You will find out about Lodz street art much, much more than from reading. Check the details here.
Anatomy of funny moments by Awer, Pomorska 93 st.
It’s time for the work of Awer, an artist from Italy who describes himself and his art (in a nutshell) as magma in constant dance. His works are dominated by irregular streams of parallel lines that almost move. Such is also the case with his mural at 93 Pomorska St. The bright and saturated colours and the composition are mesmerising. And what’s more – the mural takes on extra ‘depth’ when you put on special polarised glasses. You’re probably asking yourself now – and how the hell do I get such glasses? Well, these are the secrets I reveal during my walks around Łódź. 😉
Wave by DALeast, Pomorska 92 st.
Do you sometimes have the feeling that you look at some mural and wonder how something so beautiful and unusual could have been created by man? I have that with DALeast’s murals. In Poland, we have three of his works – one in Warsaw, and another two in Łódź (how lucky we are!).
I recommend looking at the Wave from a distance. Then the view will be better. Its very meticulously worked-out designs often look as if they were made of a thousand miniature metal.
Wędruj by Jurek Owsiak, Strajku Łódzkich Studentów 1981 r. 1 st.
Okay, this mural isn’t exactly on Pomorska Street, but it would be a shame not to mention it being so close! The mural was designed by Jerzy Owsiak, creator of the Great Orchestra of Christmas Charity, an organisation that strongly supports the National Health Fund in Poland. “Wędruj” in Polish means “wander”.
The Magic Beings from the Oil Sea by Okuda, Lumumby 12 st.
Walking along Pomorska Street you will also see a giant mural by Spanish artist Okuda.
There used to be another mural in this neighbourhood made by TOPE. It was created for the liquor store “Kacuś” (in English: “little” hangover). Unfortunately, today in this place you will only find Lidl.
Serce Adama by Piotr Chrzanowski, Pomorska 251
After the dorm area, Pomorska Street takes us to… a medical university campus straight from the future. No jokes here. This place is a little bit strange and even terrifying but it’s worth visiting.
Here you find two murals. The first is “Heart of Adam,” which refers to Michelangelo’s fresco ” The Creation of Adam.” We could read about this work:
The artist admits that he wanted to draw attention away from the biblical aspect of the work, so he wove the DNA chain that passes between the divine and human hands into the whole, closing the composition on the right side. It is the confluence of mysticism with the world of science, and the work, as the author stresses, is not literal, but only symbolic.
Wszystko o Ewie by Piotr Chrzanowski, Czechosłowacka 2 St.
In the same complex of buildings, you will find another mural by Chrzanowski, which corresponds with Adam’s Heart. I am talking about the work “All About Eve,” which refers to advances in medicine. Both murals were created in cooperation with the Urban Forms Foundation.
At this point, we end our walk. I just only add that there was another mural here painted by the wonderful Sardinian artist Tellas. Unfortunately, the work was lost against time but you could still see the photos on the Urban Forms Foundation’s site.
Practical Tips for Visitors
A walk down Pomorska Street with a look into all the nooks and crannies should take you about two hours. Pomorska is quite a busy street, so I recommend choosing Saturday or Sunday for the walk when the traffic is weaker. The area is well communicated, so you have a possibility to take a tram or bus at any time of your journey.
If you are a fan knowing city on wheels, you could try it also here. Unfortunately, there is no bike path everywhere, so be prepared to ride on the street.
It’s time to talk about the really important things like coffee. Keep in mind that while there are chances for coffee in the city centre, not so much later. I’ll put some of the more interesting places on the map of Lodz I’m working on. If you want me to give you a sign when it is ready – write to partofstreets[at]gmail.com
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To sum up – if you want to get to know the mundane face of Lodz, and not just the touristy Piotrkowska Street, then Pomorska Street may be an interesting choice. Walking along it, you will get to know Lodz as it really is, along with Polish camps full of apartments, blocks from the People’s Republic of Poland and courtyards of tenements where time has stopped. Don’t know what I am talking about? Come for a walk with me. There will be an opportunity to tell you more about Lodz. 🙂
In the meantime have fun exploring the unexpected!
Karolajn
Part of Streets 
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