Dwarves of Wrocław
by Marta Mirynowska
The Beginning…
Our journey with the Dwarves of Wrocław began in 2008, when the first three figurines were created: Ślepak (Blindo), Głuchak (Deafo), and Wózkers (Wheelio). With time, it became clear that this was only the beginning of a long and remarkable path — one that continues to this day.
Over the years, the studio has completed hundreds of original projects for both large and small companies, service venues, public institutions, municipal offices, and private clients. Our dwarves commemorate many well-known locations in the city center, including the National Forum of Music, the Opera House, the Main Railway Station, the University of Wrocław, and the Marshal’s Office — among many others.
The dwarves have also traveled far beyond Poland. They have found homes in the United States, Germany, and Costa Rica, carrying with them a small piece of Wrocław’s spirit to distant corners of the world.
They were appearing slowly — one after another — until one day it became clear that there were simply too many to count.
When we slow our pace, we begin to notice that each of them carries a story of its own. Some seem devoted to their work, while others rest as if they understand the value of pausing. They look as if they were quietly watching over the rhythm of the city and the everyday lives of its residents. In their presence, Wrocław reveals its subtler side. We learn to look closer — at our feet, around the corner of a townhouse, into spaces that might otherwise go unnoticed.
For visitors, they become an invitation to discover the city. For residents, they are familiar, almost as if they belong there — they are a company during strolls, moments of stillness, and spontaneous encounters. And at times, they lead us to places we had not planned to reach.
They invite attentiveness. They remind us how much can be seen when we truly pause.
Beings of Freedom
It is said — and such stories rarely emerge without a reason — that dwarves feel most at home where the earth breathes most quietly: beneath its surface, in caves, within the crevices of rocks. For centuries, they have been regarded as guardians of what lies hidden — natural treasures, the mysteries of the matter, and histories written deep beneath our feet. In old tales, they appear as masters of craftsmanship: patient, attentive, and devoted to their work. It is said that humans learned from them how to use raw materials, how to work metal, create tools, and give shape to what was once formless.
Thus, dwarves are seen as protectors of the material world, yet they have also become spiritual guardians of the city — carrying the memory of a value that cannot be contained within any form. That value is freedom: quiet, inward, and inalienable.
The dwarf motif in Wrocław dates back to the 1980s and is closely linked to the Orange Alternative movement, which used the image of a dwarf as a form of peaceful resistance against authority and as a symbol of freedom. Over time, the idea found its way into the urban landscape with a slightly different message — still with a hint of humor — and became embedded even more deeply into the identity of Wrocław.
