A unique project has been underway for some time in Warsaw’s Praga district. Maria Haile, a student at the local Academy of Fine Arts, is working on uncovering and preserving old advertisements painted on the façade of a tenement house at 37 Stalowa Street as part of her degree project. This is an extremely demanding undertaking, which requires great precision and a sea of patience. Signboards in the Praga district emerge from beneath the layers of history and remind us of the history of this precious but somewhat overlooked part of the capital.
Signboards in Praga – the birth of an idea to save them
The idea to conserve the signboards was born for Maria during her classes at the NOVUM Studio for the Protection and Conservation of Modern and Contemporary Art. From the beginning of her studies, she was interested in wall painting and therefore planned to pursue this specialisation. Initially, she considered the conservation of a mural or polychrome as part of her thesis, but ultimately the subject of signs was suggested to her by her supervisor, Dr Anna Kowalik. “I am very happy that this is what I focused on. In this way, I am doing my bit for my own neighbourhood: improving its aesthetics and strengthening the residents’ sense of identity through contact with local history,” – says Haile.
Working with everyday history
The project on the wall of a Prague tenement is different from many conservation tasks that involve sacred or representative works. “It gives me great satisfaction to work with ‘real’ history – not ecclesiastical or palace history, but folk and craft history, close to me both in class and emotionally” – emphasises the designer. During inspection of the facade and analysis of the literature, it became clear that the inscriptions discovered on Stalowa Street were only a fragment of a larger whole. “It can be suspected that similar layers of painted signs stretched across the entire wall of the tenement on the Stalowa Street side, suggesting that more inscriptions may have been preserved under the plaster,” – explains the conservator.
Exposed words such as ‘shaving’, ‘shearing’ or ‘dairy’ evoke the everyday life of the old Prague and create an image of a place bustling with trade and small services. The inscriptions, although partially obliterated and overlapping, are a valuable source of knowledge about the life of the local community.
The future of Prague’s signboards
The ultimate goal of the project is not only to secure the original paint layer, but also to restore the legibility of the inscriptions so that they can function in public spaces as part of the neighbourhood’s identity. Maria Haile plans for their conservation to be as minimal and reversible as possible in order to preserve their authenticity. “The priority is to protect the delicate paint layer from further degradation and to develop the aesthetics in such a way as to increase the legibility of the inscriptions, while respecting the stratigraphy,” – he explains.
Once the conservation work is complete, the student also plans archival research to reconstruct the history of the people and businesses behind the old signs. In this way, the inscriptions will not just remain an exposed layer of paint, but will become a pretext for telling the history of these old tenements.
Conservation techniques in the renovation of inscriptions
It might seem that uncovering the inscriptions is a relatively simple task, but nothing could be further from the truth. The work is carried out using micromechanical methods. As part of these, Maria removes successive layers using a scalpel, a shoemaker’s knife and a light hammer. In some areas, to avoid damaging the original, she additionally uses gels, compresses and short-term micro-moistening. “It’s a process that requires patience, a feel for the material and decision-making discipline. You cannot act automatically or forcibly,” – she points out. The effect of her work is visible immediately, but the final result depends on a number of steps, including retouching and protecting the paint layer.
Signboards in Praga – paperwork and support
The start of the project required a number of administrative approvals, which was achieved thanks to the invaluable commitment of the promoter. The works were approved by, among others, Zakład Gospodarowania Nieruchomościami na Pradze-Północ (Property Management Company in Praga-Północ) and the Capital Conservator of Monuments. Financial support, meanwhile, was provided by the OmenaArt Foundation and the Philanthropy Consortium. Maria also appreciates the interest of local residents: “The reactions of passers-by are very positive and empowering. (…) I hope that this attention will translate into wider support for similar initiatives. Prague’s townhouses are beautiful, although often neglected – it is worth investing in their aesthetics and memory.”
Promoters and links to place
Maria Haile’s project is supported by two people from the Academy of Fine Arts. Her promoter is Dr Anna Kowalik, assistant professor in the NOVUM Studio for the Protection and Conservation of Modern and Contemporary Art and chief conservator at the ASP Museum. She deals with art in public space, and her habilitation concerns graffiti. She is the author of numerous publications and presentations at Polish and international conferences. Dr Tytus Sawicki, a professor at the Academy of Fine Arts with special ties to the research site, became the assistant supervisor. He supervised the diploma project of student Karolina Mikuła on the neighbouring wall of the building – the conservation and restoration of the mural Szczudlarze (Stilt walkers ) by Linas Domarackas, created in collaboration with children from Warsaw’s Praga district. So, as we can see, the ongoing work on Stalowa is part of a wider process of restoring the district’s artistic and craftsmanship traces.
Prague as a place to live and work
Maria Haile has been living in Praga for four years and emphasises that she quickly felt at home in this neighbourhood. In contrast, she previously lived in Poznań’s Jeżyce district, which in some ways is very close to Praga. “It’s a neighbourhood where, despite the real social problems, great importance is placed on relationships, identity and community” – he notes. The old part of the right bank of Warsaw was not her conscious choice, but it turned out to be a space close to the young artist’s values and experiences. Renovation work on the signs on Stalowa Street has attracted wider attention from Marcin Gałązka, owner of Zakładka Antykwariat, located at 12 Środkowa Street since 2006. The establishment he runs is a place known for its wide selection of books, magazines and postcards.
Maria Haile and her signs in Praga
Maria Haile is a 6th year student of conservation of painting and polychrome sculpture at the Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw. In addition to conservation, she is also involved in scenography. Her master’s thesis includes the documentation and conservation of signboards on Prague tenements, and she is preparing an artistic annex in the scenography studio of Professor Marek Chowaniec. Haile’s interests include social issues, human rights and feminism. In her free time, she reads, goes to concerts and theatre. “I’m happy to be able to contribute at least a little to the well-being of this neighbourhood, and I hope that this is not my last job right here” – she concludes.
Source: materials by Maria Haile, Bookmark AntiquarianShop
Read also: Renovation | Tenement | History | Warsaw | Architecture in Poland
