Leopold Kindermann Villa - Łódź City Art Gallery / Chimera Gallery

Chimera Gallery operates in the basement of the Leopold Kindermann Villa, a historic Art Nouveau building from 1902-1903 at Wólczańska Street 31 in Łódź. The gallery specialises in experimental and avant-garde art, serving as an exhibition laboratory for artists seeking new forms of artistic expression. The building that houses it is one of the finest examples of Art Nouveau in Poland and Europe, designed by renowned architect Gustaw Landau-Gutenteger.

Architecture of the Leopold Kindermann Villa

The villa, constructed in 1902-1903, represents the pinnacle of Łódź Art Nouveau. The designer Gustaw Landau-Gutenteger (1862-1924) was an advocate of Art Nouveau, and the villa on Wólczańska is one of his most outstanding works. Each window of the building is different - no two are identical. Rich plasterwork decoration includes plant and animal motifs: apple trees, hazelnuts, thistles, sunflowers, grapes, as well as squirrels, birds in the form of owls, magpies and nuthatches. The stained glass contains traces of American coloured glass, testifying to the international connections of the owners. The building has been listed in the heritage register since 1964 and 1971.

History of the villa and change of function

The original owner of the villa was Leopold Rudolf Kindermann, who received the building as a dowry from his wife Laura Eliza née Feder. The family moved into the villa in 1908. After the Second World War the building was used as a kindergarten. From 1975, the villa has been the seat of the Łódź City Art Gallery. Major renovation work was carried out in 2010-2013 and 2011-2013, restoring the building to its former glory.

Chimera Gallery and exhibition programme

Chimera Gallery occupies the basement of the villa and forms a complement to the main exhibition programme of the gallery - the Villa Gallery, located on the ground floor and first floor. Chimera specialises in experimental, avant-garde and interdisciplinary art, providing a platform for artists seeking new artistic languages. The first Wednesday of every month offers free access to the gallery - an ideal opportunity to become acquainted with the architecture of the villa and current exhibitions. The Łódź City Art Gallery is managed by the City of Łódź and is an important element of the city's cultural infrastructure.

Cultural neighbourhood

Chimera Gallery is in close proximity to the Archaeological and Ethnographic Museum (at Plac Wolności), making the Wólczańska area one of the main centres of art and culture in Łódź. The villa at Wólczańska 31 is an oasis of Art Nouveau architecture in the city centre, intertwining with other pre-war historic buildings of Łódź entrepreneurs.

Practical information

• Address: Wólczańska Street 31, Centralna, 90-607 Łódź
• Opening hours: Tuesday, Wednesday, Sunday 10:00-17:00; Thursday, Friday, Saturday 12:00-19:00; Free admission first Thursday of the month
• Contact: Telephone +48 42 632 79 95
• Parking: On Wólczańska Street
• Access: Central Łódź, well served by public transport, close to Piotrkowska Street and the Archaeological Museum
• What to expect: Exhibitions of experimental and avant-garde art, a walk through a historic Art Nouveau villa, unique fragments of plasterwork decoration and coloured glass