Nearly half a year ago I was sitting in a small but lively hostel in Krakow, Poland when I made a promise to you, my readers.  I said that I was going to give you a virtual tour of the street art of Krakow.  I had not expected it to take me so long but the minute I left Poland I was logging adventures in Madrid and beyond.  Now, as I sit on my back porch on a sweltering summer day in Michigan, I am overjoyed to revisit the snowy streets of Krakow and share them with you.

“Street Art” is a common sight in many major European cities.  So is “tagging.”  Whereas street art draws parallels with great paintings and sculptures through its creativity and execution, tagging is most often analogous to a poorly written signature.  I will be devoting this post to works of art.  “Who decides what is art and what is not?” you may be thinking.  Well, that is a good question.  The answer is, “I do.”  So enjoy the street art of Krakow, Poland…

  I do not do this.  So I bring you this…

A piece with some of the many symbols of Poland (The eagle. The cross).

Just off the expressway, near the Communist block, there were some housing projects. Many of the buildings were adorned with art like this…

…and this.

Much of the art in the streets of Krakow has a strong sociopolitical message…

This is a stencil depicting the recently deceased Polish social activist Rafal Gorski. Krakow has a highly active political scene that is reflected in the street art.

This unhappy bunny is recognized as a symbol of opposition to the police force in Krakow.

Even bunnies against police can like carrots.

Anti-fascism is alive and well in Krakow, especially among anarchist artists.

Some artists use a positive message to inspire hope for the future.

The Guilded Arches

And some things are just for fun…

A young Audrey Hepburn.

Score. 1 UP!

Stencil of “Machete” star Danny Trejo.

In the future we will all wear haz-mat suits. We will also begin carrying boom boxes again. I can hardly wait.

Another bunny. This one does not have a strong opinion about police.

I would explain the symbolism here but it is pretty obvious. I don’t want to insult your intelligence.

Massive street art project near the outer edge of town.

And finally, my favorite piece…

The bionic, rocket launching deer.

Well, these photographs were gathered over a span of three weeks in Krakow.  They reminded me that I have at least a dozen more exciting adventures to share with you from my time the royal Polish capital.  I will tell you all about them soon.  Until then…