A multimedia spectacle will be projected onto the walls of Wawel Castle from 7th – 11th November, between 5pm and 8pm. The projection will be visible simultaneously on the castle walls facing Grodzka, and Smocza street and from the Wisła river boulevard. A story about Polish identity in a modern, moving form.
CROWN AND STATE – 1000 YEARS OF KINGDOM”: A UNIQUE MULTIMEDIA PERFORMANCE
The scale of the project makes it one of the most compelling visual events in Krakow in recent years. Light and sound will create a symbolic “circle” around the hill, emphasizing its importance as a centre of national remembrance.
The artistic concept was created by Dr. Robert Sowa, a professor at the Academy of Fine Arts – a visual artist and animated film director. In collaboration with a team of young artists from the Academy of Fine Arts in Krakow, he created a performance drawing on the rich heritage of Polish culture. The artistic narrative references key moments in the development of the nation’s identity, from pre-Christian times, through the medieval beginnings of statehood, to the development of the Kingdom and the role of Wawel as a coronation site.
Between 7th to 11th November, from 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM, the area around Wawel Royal Castle will become the stage for an open-air multimedia spectacle, “Crown and State – 1000 Years of the Kingdom.”
This unique spectacle is part of this year’s celebrations of the 1000th anniversary of the Crown of the Kingdom of Poland.
The projection, prepared by the Jan Matejko Academy of Fine Arts in Krakow, will innovatively combine art, history, and modern technologies. The event is organized in cooperation with the Maÿopolska Tourist
The event is organised and financed by the Małopolska Voivodeship.
The musical score was created by composer Ewa Trÿbacz, and is complemented by vocals by Anna Niedÿwiedÿ. The entire performance was conceived as an evocative, animated artistic and cinematic experience.
The organisers emphasize that the spectacle was designed with both Polish and international audiences in mind.
The multimedia story is created using 2D and 3D animation techniques, and its visual character evokes the form of a monumental, moving fresco.
The projection will cover sections of the walls facing Smocza and Grodzka Streets, as well as the Vistula River bend, allowing for viewing from multiple perspectives, including Poleski Boulevard.
The performance has been planned so that every viewer can freely join in at any time and walk around the entire hill, following the subsequent narrative.
The event’s partner is the Małopolska Tourist Organisation. The project was financed by the Małopolska Voivodeship.
After the November screenings, there are plans to present a film version of the play, as well as to use the project to promote Maÿopolska in the country and abroad.
CURATORS REMARKS
An audiovisual spectacle whose subject matter and artistic narrative take us back to pre-Christian times, through the medieval beginnings of statehood, to the development of the Kingdom, the role of Krakow and Wawel as a place of coronations.
The moment in history depicted in the show is, on the one hand, widely known and described, yet on the other, somewhat mysterious and undiscovered. Accounts and testimonies have survived, but many facts and events remain unknown or open to interpretation—especially artistic interpretation.
The concept of the play draws from both historical sources from the period and numerous artistic inspirations. We will find motifs and symbols that are widely known, but also those that have been little explored or interpreted in new ways. Many scenes draw inspiration from the beauty of medieval art and its symbolism, which intrigues with its mysteriousness and hidden meanings.
The story begins before the reign of Bolesÿaw the Brave, in a time shrouded in darkness and dominated by pagan beliefs. It’s a world of magic, myths, and demons. Medieval depictions of the latter are reflected in the play, and this part culminates with the symbolic moment of Poland’s baptism.
We will also find shots from the reign of Emperor Otho III, the Congress of Gniezno, the activities of St. Adalbert, until the coronation of the first king of Poland in 1025. Although Bolesÿaw the Brave chose Gniezno, where the first coronation took place, was the centre of Poland’s political life from 1039 onward, thanks to the decision of Casimir the Restorer. Thus, Krakow Cathedral became the site of subsequent coronations.
Many of the works that found their new guises in the performance were inspired by Krakow’s own heritage. The collections of the Archaeological Museum, the National Museum, the Krakow Museums, the Archdiocesan Museum, as well as Krakow’s churches and, of course, Wawel Castle, were true treasure troves for further inspiration and artistic interpretation.
The performance also features references to the work of Jacek Malczewski, Jan Matejko, and, especially, Stanisÿaw Wyspiaÿski. Among the highlights is a scene inspired by a caricature of Stanisÿaw Wyspiaÿski for Jan Matejko’s “Battle of Grunwald.” This essentially abstract sketch perfectly complements Matejko’s monumental work, and in the projection, it briefly comes to life, becoming an epilogue to the battle scenes.
The golden palette references Jacek Malczewski’s frieze that adorns the Palace of Arts in Krakow. The scenes also incorporate motifs from Jan Matejko’s paintings, including “The Battle of Grunwald.” “Staÿczyk”, sketches and drawings by Stanisÿaw Wyspiaÿski “Achilles”, “Apollo”, the portrait of Casimir the Great from the stained glass window in the Franciscan Church, or the beautiful and phenomenal scene of the “king in coral”, which was described in Wyspiaÿski’s drama “Bolesÿaw the Brave”.
The performance takes place on three sides of Wawel Castle’s walls, where light and sound create a symbolic circle around Wawel Castle, enveloping it like a crown. The entire projection consists of constantly transforming animated scenes and panoramic movement, which makes the sequences flow one after another, presenting the viewer with successive instalments of the visual narrative.
The performance is intended for all audiences: residents of the city, Polish and foreign tourists. It contains no text or translations. It was designed as a recurring projection, allowing every viewer to join in at any time. The visual character of the performance evokes the form of a monumental, moving fresco.
The multimedia story was created using animation techniques, drawing, painting, 2D and 3D.
Many scenes were drawn and painted by hand. The projection was created without the use of AI tools.
The artistic concept was created by Dr. Robert Sowa, a professor at the Academy of Fine Arts – a visual artist and animated film director who collaborated with a team of young artists associated with the Academy of Fine Arts in Krakow. The music was created by composer Ewa Trÿbacz, and is complemented by vocals by Anna Niedÿwiedÿ.
The performance will take place simultaneously on the walls facing Grodzka and Smocza Streets, and the Vistula River bend, from November 7th to 11th, from 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM. Admission is free and no prior registration is required. The screening lasts 20 minutes and is repeated daily at the times indicated.
A Scot in Kraków. The founder and editor of Kraków Expats Directory, and our sister sites Kraków TV and Kraków Stories Podcast.
David fell in love with Kraków 25 years ago, making it his home in 2011.
In 2020 he was awarded the title of Kraków’s Ambassador of Multiculturalism, by the President of Kraków, and is also a member of the GlobalScot network, representing Scottish culture and business abroad.
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