Unusual yard in Roosevelta [PHOTOS, VIDEO]

Grey tenements in ul Jedności Narodowej and ul Roosevelta conceal an amazing yard created by local residents in collaboration with the artists from the Backyard Cultural Activity Centre. The centre was created in a former carpenter's shop, in front of which a giant cat and a dog are now standing.

"We've decided to reach out to our local community," says painter and cultural activity organiser Mariusz Mikołajek. "The residents soon discovered they had talent for visual arts and could make a difference to their immediate environment. The centre was launched in October 2013.

They discovered talent

"Initially, when the artists came, there was no running water or electricity in the building," says Maria Żelazna, whose works are now on display as part of the centre's exhibition. "I was probably the first to speak to them and I brought them some tea. That's how it all started. It later turned out they were going to teach us the arts: painting, sculpture, ceramics and even glass processing. We began painting, first on paper, than on canvas, and we also created sculptures," she recalls. "We did not know each other well previously. It's the yard that brought us together. We also made friends with people who live several streets away. For example, Irena Korzeniowska lives in ul Kluczborska," says Maria Żelazna. "We were soon to discover that painting is her hobby. Her "Landscape" gave rise to the first section of the mural.

Many residents discovered they had hidden talent for visual arts. Laura is now attending a secondary school of fine arts while Zenon Dębowski has discovered a passion for sculpture. He has contributed amazing ceramic sculptures which are now inserted into a wall to be part of the "Garden of Eden" series. The latter, which is composed of sculptures, low reliefs and even a poem, also features portraits representing local residents and their four-legged friends. "This is my Sheidi," says one of the residents. And this is Kazimiera Rusińska with her cat Franek."

Non-mural connects people

This over 1200-sqm large non-mural brings together painting, sculpture and ceramics and was created by the local community, including the young and the elderly, the Roma minority and local football fans. "There's no way we're going to alter it later on. Each work and each trace are going to stay, everybody can be their author," says Mariusz Mikołajek.

"The mural can be divided into sequences, but each section's focus in on the local community," says painter Witold Liszkowski. "As we created their portraits we would engage in conversations you could hear hundreds of years ago with court painters or artists," he adds jokingly. "A husband would come and ask if his wife looks good, if she isn't too old, if it's real. One of the challenges we faced was how people perceive themselves."

The final result is really impressive: vibrant, beautiful, amazing, enchanting with a variety of colours and details. "Other years in Nadodrze now want to create similar murals," say the residents of the houses in Roosevelta.

Deputy Mayor delighted

On Wednesday 28 October, a time capsule with the signatures of residents, artists and guests and with their joint photograph taken as they said the word "ogórek" (cucumber) was inserted in a tenement's wall as part of the centre's second anniversary celebrations and the mural's official unveiling. "The capsule is going to stay there for two or even three hundred years," say the residents. The capsule was inserted just underneath the abdomen of a wasp painted by Zenon Dębowski.

"As Deputy Mayor, I'm really happy to see and get involved in Nadodrze's regeneration process," says Wroclaw's Deputy Mayor Adam Grehl. "I can now see the results. There are few things better than seeing that what you do makes sense. You can organise conferences on the urban regeneration process, write features and all that, but true regeneration is all about people and the artists. This is the heart of the entire process," says Deputy Mayor. "You can see the power of Wroclaw, the power of the community and the praiseworthy commitment and energy of Mariusz Mikołajek, who set all this in motion. This project is going to continue to discover and develop talent in our local residents. It's worth dreaming because you dreams come true in Wroclaw.

The event was accompanied by an exhibition from the artists involved in the centre's activities: Irena Korzeniewska, Maria Kabza, Maria Żelazna and Renata Konopelna. OKAP, or the Ośrodek Kulturalnej Animacji Podwórkowej (Backstreet Cultural Activity Centre) in ul Roosevelta 5A is run by the OK, ART. Foundation and the City of Wroclaw. The centre is subordinate to the ODT Światowid.