Przyjaźń na okrągło
FRIENDSHIP ALL AROUND
Copyright by Piotr Jaxa (http://jaxa.com/) & Paul Reichardt
Copyright by Petro Aleksowski
100 Years of Swiss Embassy in Warsaw, Poland
ANOTHER LARGE SCALE PROJECT BY PHILIPP KREBS & PAUL REICHARDT
The project
CELEBRATING 100 YEARS OF PRESENCE
Przyjaźń na okrągło is a polish sentence which allows several translations. But we may break it down to “Friendship all around”.
Joy, harmony, movement, encounter, friendship, and surprise are playfully symbolized by Przyjaźń na okrągło. Each of the 100 balloons symbolizes a year of Switzerland's diplomatic presence in Warsaw. The balloons are mobile and display either the Swiss or the Polish flag.
The Ambassador of Switzerland, Jürg Burri, seems to be happy with the outcome of the installation.
Brief history
SWISS EMBASSY INVITES SWISS-POLISH ARTISTS
The long-term relationship between Philipp, Swiss-Polish artist, and staff of the Swiss embassy is flourishing in a joint project for the anniversary year. Paul Reichardt, Philipp's long-term companion and project engineer, signs responsible for the project together with Philipp.
What symbolizes Switzerland's relationship with Poland? A large-scale union of the two flags in one and the same piece of work is intended to underline the long-lasting, high quality and continuing friendship. 100 balloons are built into the artwork, one for each year.
Sophisticated engineering
CUSTOM MADE ROTATION MECHANISM
Przyjaźń na okrągło is a balloon installation with 96 balloons, each about 1.1 meters in diameter and consisting of red and white segments. The balloons are arranged symmetrically on a scaffold in the garden of the Embassy - 12 balloons horizontally, 8 balloons vertically. 4 more balloons are placed on the roof or elsewhere, so the total number of balloons is 100. The balloons on the scaffold are rotated by a mechanism and thus show either the Swiss flag or, after an interval, the Polish flag. Via a Wifi interface, the viewer can influence the interval once, thus making the "other" flag appear.
Why don't you visit us?
OPEN TO EVERYONE, AND FREE ADMISSION
September 9, 2021 and onwards till mid-November the work can be viewed at any time from the sidewalks surrounding Al. Ujazdowskie. Przyjaźń na okrągło is located in the garden of the Embassy of Switzerland in Warsaw, Al. Ujazdowskie 27, 00-540 Warszawa
We sincerely thank our sponsors! Without them the realization of this great project would not have been possible
