Romanesque, 2025 — Kama Sokolnicka

Romanesqe
(Costume of the Castle)

set of works made during the art residency in CK Zamek, 2025

The Imperial Castle (Zamek) in Poznań was designed to disorient. At the beginning of the 20th century, Prussian Kaiser Wilhelm II intended to create a symbol of – illusory – long-lasting Prussian dominance over the Wielkopolska region. To achieve this effect, he ordered the city center to be built in various historicist styles. The castle itself is Neo-Romanesque, blending historical accuracy with a touch of fantasy and Celtic-inspired motifs.

During the Third Reich, Hitler ordered a complete interior rearrangement of the castle to distinguish his power from that of the previous monarchy. After World War II, there were plans to demolish the building; however, its purpose was eventually reversed—transforming it from a headquarters of power into an open, public /people space. Through these transformations, the building has "changed its costume" many times, serving as a propaganda tool for successive regimes.