Marcin Polak (PL): Greetings from Poland!

Date:8-28 October 2009

Location: 1x1 billboard, VII. district, Lövölde tér

Marcin Polak's billboard project relates to the popular phrase familiar to nearly everybody in Poland and Hungary: "The Pole and the Hungarian are two good friends". This line refers the historical friendship of the Polish and Hungarian people dating back to the 14th century.

Nevertheless, today Poland appears to be quite an exotic place for Hungarians, almost as distant as places where palm trees grow.
It seems however, that the Polish landscape with palm trees is in fact authentic, as many palm tree objects have appeared recently in Poland. Although some bear a more artistic character, like the well-known palm tree project of Joanna Rajkowska in the centre of Warsaw, most of them are primarily decorative and some are even tacky.
This project brings up the issue of quality of public space in Poland today, and it also reflects the image Hungarian people have of Poland. The project also sheds some light on where the relationship of these two nations stands at this time.

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