The history of Lodz is inextricably linked with the textile industry, which gave the city its identity and made it one of the most important industrial centres in Poland. Although the story of the textile factories is widely known and documented, much less attention is paid to the production of lace, which also had its place in Lodz’s industrial tradition. The artist NeSpoon, in one of her latest projects, decided to remind us of this forgotten part of history by creating a striking mural on the wall of a tenement at 217 Wólczańska Street.
The mural, which covers as much as 130 square metres of an almost completely blank wall, is inspired by a machine-made lace pattern found by NeSpoon in a nearby antique shop. The creation process took six days, during which the artist carefully reproduced the intricate, precise pattern. In doing so, NeSpoon paid homage to an ancient craft tradition by bringing it to life in a modern, large-scale version.
The origins of the industrial production of lace and curtains in Lodz can be traced back to the late 19th century. In 1888, Gustaw Geyer, a well-known Lodz entrepreneur, established a lace and curtain factory at 278 Piotrkowska St. It was a modern factory for the time, which soon gained a reputation, producing products valued not only in Poland but also abroad.
Although the Geyer factory no longer exists, traces of this tradition can be found in the exhibits on display at the Central Museum of Textiles in Łódź. One of them is a portrait of Gustav’s wife, Anna Geyer, depicted with a lace in her hand. This subtle detail of the painting is a symbolic tribute to her husband’s work and the specialised lace production that has become part of the heritage of Lodz’s industry.
Source: NeSpoon
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