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Plon Relief in Warsaw

Plon is a relief sculpture on a building at the intersection of Katowicka Street and Zwycięzców Street in Warsaw’s Saska Kępa neighbourhood. Created by Jerzy Jarnuszkiewicz in 1947 as part of the post-World War II reconstruction efforts led by the Warsaw Reconstruction Office, it later became a protected historic monument in 2011. Over time, the artwork deteriorated, lost some of its elements, and was vandalized with graffiti. Local residents led a campaign to save it, raising funds and securing conservation support. The relief was removed in July 2011, restored by Bartosz Markowski, and unveiled again in November 2011 after its missing parts were reconstructed and the surface repainted.

Plon relief sculpture on a building facade, showing figures around a tree and a small animal at their feet.
Plon by Jerzy Jarnuszkiewicz, a relief sculpture mounted on a building facade.
April 2016 © · CC BY-SA 4.0
Plon relief sculpture showing two draped female figures, a fruit-laden tree, and small animals on a dark brick wall.
Plon relief sculpture by Jerzy Jarnuszkiewicz, shown on a dark brick wall and illuminated during the post-restoration unveiling.
November 2011 © · CC BY-SA 3.0
Plon sculptural relief mounted on a brick wall, brightly lit with people gathered below.
The Plon relief is shown illuminated on a brick wall during the unveiling after renovation.
November 2011 © · CC BY-SA 3.0
Plon relief sculpture mounted on a dark brick wall, with a woman speaking at microphones in front of it.
Plon relief sculpture by Jerzy Jarnuszkiewicz during a public unveiling event after restoration.
November 2011 © · CC BY-SA 3.0
Worn Plon relief wall with reddish-brown vertical tiles, missing patches, and white residue
Plon relief wall during renovation, showing its worn tiled surface and areas of damage.
August 2011 © · CC BY-SA 3.0

Identification

TitlePlon
English titleCrop relief in Warsaw
Typerelief sculpture

Historical context

Date created1947
ContextCreated as part of the post-World War II reconstruction efforts led by the Warsaw Reconstruction Office to change the character of Saska Kępa

Creator

ArtistJerzy Jarnuszkiewicz

Discovery and provenance

Associated projectBOS’s model villa street project on Katowicka Street
Project leadershipA team of architects led by Bohdan Lachert, with a group of sculptors contributing
Artists' contributionThe sculptors created several sculptures and decorative elements free of charge

Location and ownership

LocationCorner building at the intersection of Katowicka Street and Zwycięzców Street, Saska Kępa, Warsaw, Poland
Street address7 Katowicka Street

Physical characteristics

MountingMounted on a clinker-brick wall at the building's corner

Materials

MaterialCement

Appearance

Depicted figuresTwo women carrying the titular harvest, a young boy holding two fish, a lamb, and a tree in the background

Iconography and meaning

SubjectHarvest motif implied by the title 'Plon'

History and restoration

Heritage statusEntered into the register of historic monuments in January 2011
Condition before restorationIncomplete and vandalized with paint; missing fragments included parts of the boy holding fish and the lamb
Restoration initiativeLed by Ewa Brykowska-Liniecka and supported by Saska Kępa residents and local organizations
Conservation workRestored by Bartosz Markowski in a workshop near Warsaw
Restoration date2011
Restoration methodsOld paint was cleaned off, cracks were filled with resin, stainless-steel reinforcements were installed, missing parts were reconstructed with artificial stone, and the relief was repainted white
RemountingRemoved from the building in early July 2011 and returned in October 2011
UnveilingUnveiled in November 2011 before nearly 200 people, with Tomasz Kucharski present
Preservation statusBest-preserved element of the original decorative scheme for Katowicka Street
Later related projectThe 'Around Plon' initiative aimed to reconstruct other former decorative elements of Katowicka Street
Related square revitalizationIn 2013 residents temporarily arranged the square in front of the relief to highlight former benches and greenery; the project was submitted to the participatory budget for 2015
Bench reconstructionReconstructed concrete benches were presented at the 2014 Saska Kępa Festival; reconstruction started in September 2014, with greenery replanted afterward

Significance

ReceptionFavorable among local residents, but also criticized, notably by Jerzy Baurski in Architektura in 1948
AwardBohdan Lachert and Józef Szanajca Award for Best Architecture of Saska Kępa, Public Space and Greenery category, in 2016