National Symbolism in the Polish Street Art

Abstract

The article refers to the figure of Socrates and its contemporary reception as a cultural We have already managed to get used to street art in the space of Polish cities. Mural art pieces bring colour into ordinary streets, delight the eye, sometimes make us sad and thoughtful. In a way unnoticeable to the member of an audience they divide Poles and build communities. Although street art is a global phenomenon, native artists are Poles above all. Polish is their mother tongue, and the culture in which they have been growing up and in which they have gone through the socialization process is the Polish culture. The first part of the article defines a symbol in the national culture from the point of view of sociology and cultural anthropology. In second part the development of street art in Poland is outlined. In the next sections of the article the results of the content analysis and the comparative analysis of the murals collected in 2016 and in 2018 are presented. The analyses pay special attention to the national symbols included in the pieces. The Polish flag and national colours are the most popular national symbols in patriotic street art. The Polish anthem is placed on walls the least frequently. Constitutional symbols painted by street artists often undergo modifications and are not treated with adequate respect. Amongst historical symbols the Polish military uniform and well-respected people are the most popular. In the article the analysis of the content and the comparative analysis are used. The results of the detailed analyses have a factual character and represent a contribution to further research on the ways in which national symbols function in the public sphere.