The installation features thousands of mirror pieces cut by hand to fit the complex, uneven surface of the courtyard walls.
The project was inspired by the retinoblastoma diagnosis of the artist's daughter, with the visual fragmentation mirroring the fragility of her vision.
The courtyard is part of a historic tenement house that previously suffered from significant architectural decay before the renovation.
The mirror mosaic creates a 'labyrinth of light' that makes the narrow courtyard appear deeper and more expansive than its physical dimensions.
The project received the 'City Idea' award during the 2014 Łódź Design Festival.
The Rose Passage is a permanent art installation in Łódź, Poland, created by artist Joanna Rajkowska. The walls of the courtyard are covered in thousands of irregularly shaped fragments of mirror, reflecting the surrounding architecture and passersby. This mosaic was inspired by the artist's daughter, Róża, who suffered from eye cancer, and symbolizes the process of reconstructing vision. It occupies the inner courtyards of a 19th-century tenement house located at Piotrkowska 3. The mirrored surfaces create a fragmented, kaleidoscopic effect that distorts perspective and changes based on light conditions. It serves as both a public art project and a functional residential courtyard. The installation was completed in 2014 and remains open as a public space.
Position yourself in the center of the courtyard facing the walls to capture the reflection of the sky and the surrounding architecture.
Visit during a sunny day to experience the intense light reflections.
Look for the smaller, more intricate mirror patterns near the ground level.
Avoid loud behavior, as this is a residential building where people live.
Do not mistake the passage for a commercial gallery; it is an open-access residential courtyard requiring respectful behavior.
Maintain a quiet volume as this is a residential property; do not touch the mirror edges as they may be sharp.
