Igor Mitoraj’s “Tindaro” in Warsaw — A 6.89 Million PLN Sculpture in Public Space

A new artwork in Warsaw

Recently, Warsaw and Kraków gained something in common — the presence of a monumental bronze sculpture by one of Poland’s most celebrated sculptors, Igor Mitoraj.

While “Eros Bendato” has become one of Kraków’s most recognisable symbols since it was gifted to the city by the artist in 2005, Warsaw now has another of the artist’s iconic works.

... the sculpture was sold for 6.89 million PLN ..., setting a record for Mitoraj’s work.

For the past few months, “Tindaro” has been observing passers-by in the centre of the capital. It draws attention not only for its striking form but also for the story — and the price — behind it. Earlier this year, the sculpture was sold for 6.89 million PLN at a Polswiss Art auction, setting a record for Mitoraj’s work. As part of the acquisition, the new owner committed to keeping “Tindaro” in public space, accessible to the city.

From Paris to Warsaw

“Tindaro” is not new. Created in 1997, cast in bronze, standing 407 cm tall and weighing over 3.6 tonnes, it was commissioned by KPMG and stood for nearly two decades in La Défense, the business district of Paris.

He often worked with fragments of the human figure — a head, a torso — recalling sculptures marked by time, yet still carrying a sense of profound beauty.

Earlier this autumn, Warsaw residents first encountered it at Plac Trzech Krzyży, near the Sheraton Grand. It now stands in a more central location — the square between the Palace of Culture and Science and the Museum of Modern Art. A mythological face placed at the core of a modern city.

Real luxury: to experience, not possess

The sculpture was acquired by NOHO Investment, who decided to loan “Tindaro” to Warsaw before moving it to its future location. Their decision reflects the belief that art gains meaning when shared, not hidden.

... we believe that real luxury is not possession, but the possibility of experiencing and engaging with art every day.

As NOHO explain: “‘Tindaro’ has been made available to the residents of Warsaw because we believe that real luxury is not possession, but the possibility of experiencing and engaging with art every day”.

Ultimately, the sculpture will be placed at NOHO ONE, a new development near Rondo Daszyńskiego, on the former site of the Polfa pharmaceutical plant — one of Warsaw’s most dynamically developing districts, where architecture, design, and art are intended to coexist.

The language of Mitoraj

Igor Mitoraj (1944–2014), a Polish sculptor, developed a distinctive visual language rooted in Greek mythology and the aesthetics of ancient ruins. He often worked with fragments of the human figure — a head, a torso — recalling sculptures marked by time, yet still carrying a sense of profound beauty. His preferred materials were bronze and marble.

He studied at the Academy of Fine Arts in Kraków, continued his education in Paris, and later lived between France and Italy. He gained international recognition after participating in the Venice Biennale in 1986.

Today, his sculptures can be found in cities such as London, Rome, Milan, Paris, New York, and across Poland — from Kraków’s “Eros Bendato” on the Main Square to Warsaw’s “Ikaro Alato” in Żoliborz and the Angel Doors at the Jesuit church in the Old Town, and now “Tindaro” at Plac Defilad.

Art in public space

The story of “Tindaro” reflects a broader European shift, well illustrated by France, where public art is becoming a standard element of urban planning rather than a decorative afterthought.

And the essence of public art is that you don’t need to seek it — it finds you. ... It does not belong solely behind museum walls.

Art in the public space there is increasingly formalised through mechanisms such as “1 Immeuble, 1 Œuvre” or mandatory art budgets in cities like Montpellier, demonstrating that culture can be an integrated part of urban design. Governments and municipalities have recognised that art not only decorates — it builds social capital, influences the perception of safety, and can shape the development of entire districts.

In Montpellier, the budget for a work of art must equal at least 1% of the land value, with a minimum of €10,000 per piece — making it likely the first French city to mandate the integration of art into architectural planning.

Decades earlier, France introduced the “1% artistique” rule for public buildings in 1951, requiring part of the construction budget to be dedicated to art. Today, similar principles extend into the private sector on a voluntary basis — modern interpretations of the same idea.

Art without borders

Art shapes how we see the city just as much as architecture, cuisine, or history. It invites us to pause, question, admire, experience — or simply feel.

Standing over four meters tall, “Tindaro” appears both ancient and modern. Placed in the very centre of the Polish capital, it observes the movement of the city. And the essence of public art is that you don’t need to seek it — it finds you. In a square, on a corner, in a park. It does not belong solely behind museum walls.

From my perspective, the task is simple: to stop, look, and consider why it is here — and what it brings into our daily landscape. Because the presence and accessibility of art have the power to shape not only our surroundings, but also the way we coexist within them.