Yoni

The dynamic minimalist sculpture titled Yoni was created by Dr Jerzy Dobrzański and unveiled on 6 October 2017 in the Garnizon area at 19 Słowackiego Street in Gdańsk-Wrzeszcz.

Object: This artistic installation consists of two concrete blocks formed into inward-curving arches. One arch rests on a low pedestal serving as the base, made of purposefully rusted sheet metal. The second arch leans against the first, appearing to ‘hover’ slightly above the base. This design creates a visual effect of lightness, as though the sculpture is gently lifting off the ground.

The two arches form an almond-like shape inside, evoking associations with the feminine element. By naming the work Yoni, the artist drew inspiration from the Indian term for female genitalia, which encompasses physical, religious, and spiritual dimensions. It is a symbol of the Hindu goddess Devi, representing the primal source of the universe. The word Yoni also carries various metaphorical meanings, such as ‘bosom’, ‘source’, ‘vessel’, and ‘beginning’.

The sculpture was selected for execution through a competition organized by the Garnizon Kultury Management Board. A note published in the organizer’s materials after the jury’s decision reads: ‘A very important criterion for deciding the competition on the form of the sculpture was the search for a symbolic remedy that would introduce a balancing feminine element, thus counteracting the masculine aura that lingers in the air. Garnizon [the garrison], once an inaccessible military area, has transformed into a space that is open to art and friendly to all, while successfully preserving and revitalising its historic military buildings from the late 19th century’.

Location: Garnizon is the name of a residential and commercial complex in Wrzeszcz, since 2005 owned by the Hossa Investment Group. The complex covers 30 hectares between Grunwaldzka Avenue and Słowackiego Street, where the historic buildings of former military barracks are located.

The first garrison buildings were constructed at the end of the 19th century for the 1st and 2nd Regiments of Emperor Wilhelm II’s Life Guard Hussars, also known as the Black Hussars. From 1925, in the Free City of Gdańsk, the barracks were occupied by units of the Schutzpolizei (Protection Police), which remained there until the end of World War II. After 1945, the site was taken over by the Polish People’s Army, which stationed troops there for over 50 years. By the late 20th century, the military units in the Gdańsk garrison were disbanded, and the area was subsequently sold.

Today, it is a modern district where the preserved historic buildings are integrated into an innovative urban design and surrounded by contemporary residential architecture. The character of the site – which used to be walled off and inaccessible to the public – has also changed. Right now, Garnizon is an enclave for social gatherings, cultural life, and numerous events, concerts, entertainment, and recreational activities.

Information about the author: Jerzy Dobrzański (b. 1976 in Rzeszów) is a sculptor and designer. He graduated from the Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw and received his PhD at the Faculty of Industrial Forms of the Academy of Fine Arts in Kraków. In 2012, he was a Kościuszko Foundation Scholar, receiving a Pratt Institute fellowship in New York. He creates sculptures, installations, and functional objects designed for public spaces. In his art, he is especially fond of subjects related to social and political phenomena. His designs include the façade of the New Praha Cinema in Warsaw and the statue of Kazimierz Deyna together with the surrounding space in Starogard Gdański.

Dobrzański has won the Must Have award at the Łódź Design Festival and Top Design Award at the Arena Design in Poznań. He is the founder of Betonovo, a company specialising in the design and production of lightweight GRC architectural concrete using own technological solutions. He works as an assistant professor at the Academy of Art in Szczecin, where he leads the Systemic Product Design Studio within the Department of Design.

Condition of the object: very good

Owner/guardian: Grupa Inwestycyjna Hossa SA

Author of the entry: Kinga Jarocka