©Sebastian Weiß
The “electro-graphic objects” of that period are more than just ordinary and habitual elements of urban environments: neon madness was supposed to demonstrate the success of centralized trading and economical well-being in Poland. Yes, even if stores of the period were rather empty, their signs, which were often animated, impressed with visual richness and brilliance.
Thousands of meters of neon tubing were bound masterfully in the late fifties in Poland, resulting in cities competed in neon splendor. This form of urban visual communication caused a creative explosion among polish graphic designers, and Poland experienced an era of “neonization”. Elaborate and refined shapes, carefully selected colors—there is all this and more to see in the neon work of significant Polish “neonizers” such as Jan Mucharski, Witold Janowski and Janusz Rapnicki.
To help visualize the topic at hand, take a second to try to imagine soviet era bureaucrats approving sketches of giddy milk bar’s cows, pigs, elephants and more.
The starting point for David and Ilona’s neon fascination came when they salvaged otherwise neglected signs which were slated for destruction from the former DDR goods store “Berlin”, and returned them to their former glory.
The Neon Museum’s collection is continuously growing. Slower going, though, is the recognition that David and Ilona receive for the work that they have put into preserving the neglected signs. That said, neon design of the cold war era is now much more appreciated in Poland and the heritage value of the design is no longer in question.
Neon Muzeum Warsaw
The Neon Museum is a private initiative, based on passion and enthusiasm, and it doesn’t receive public funds. Instead it relies on the public’s support via donations or just volunteer work.
Given the amount of work and attention to detail that has gone into it, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that the Neon Museum hosted over 16,000 visitors during Warsaw’s Museum Nights in 2013.
Text: Aleksandra Samulenkova, LucasFonts
