Fight club
Since opening its doors, Le Madame has become the destination of choice for Warsaw's hippest set. The multi-purpose venue, by turns a nightclub, gallery, performance area and bar, has acquired something approaching cult status, but all that could be brought to a grinding halt at the end of the month when the club is scheduled for eviction.
Le Madame is housed in a tenement at ul. Koźla 12. Until now, together with Koźla 10, 14, and ul. Freta 39, the address belonged to Eureka, an electric gauge-equipment company, which has managed the property since the 1950s. However, for the past 11 years, Eureka has not had a legal claim to the premises and in December 2004 the City Hall of Warsaw was legally awarded the rights to the tenement at ul. Freta 39.
On March 21, the City of Warsaw was to evict the Le Madame gallery and Power of Life foundation from ul. Koźla 10 and 12. The decision was the result of an eviction order concerning ul. Freta 39. The City Hall representatives considered the buildings at Koźla 10, 12, and 14 as part of ul. Freta 39.
There is much confusion over this interpretation, however. The building at ul. Freta 39 has two entrances, from ul. Freta and ul. Koźla. This fact has been seized upon by Eureka. "The verdict points to eviction only at ul. Freta 39. The bailiff cannot take the remaining places," argues Piotr Szczepański, an administrator at Eureka. "This is rubbish," insists Lucjan Bełza, the director of the Warsaw security office at City Hall. "The notation in the geodetic filing system clearly states that the building is a whole." He says that the eviction will take place at each of the four addresses.
The management of Le Madame are very much outside of the loop, it seems, and were not even officially informed about the conflict. Ardent supporters of the venue, and the club has many, are standing firm on the issue. On March 21, the day the eviction was scheduled to take place, more than 100 people occupied the club, which legally prevents the eviction. The end of April will likely see a repeat of this scenario.
Le Madame is of significant architectural interest, something that has given the club its individual atmosphere. The roof is reinforced glass, and the main building is a largely metal construction of two transepts separated by a glass wall. Spiral stairs lead to an underground section with another bar and dance floor, surrounded by brick walls and dark corners. The well-planned light, Hundertwasser-like fountain, and old chains hanging from the ceiling, all create the atmosphere of an authentic postindustrial interior. It has become synonymous with Warsaw's artistic and intellectual scene, and many claim that the City would be better off preserving, rather than shutting down, such a distinctive artistic refuge.
Le Madame is housed in a tenement at ul. Koźla 12. Until now, together with Koźla 10, 14, and ul. Freta 39, the address belonged to Eureka, an electric gauge-equipment company, which has managed the property since the 1950s. However, for the past 11 years, Eureka has not had a legal claim to the premises and in December 2004 the City Hall of Warsaw was legally awarded the rights to the tenement at ul. Freta 39.
On March 21, the City of Warsaw was to evict the Le Madame gallery and Power of Life foundation from ul. Koźla 10 and 12. The decision was the result of an eviction order concerning ul. Freta 39. The City Hall representatives considered the buildings at Koźla 10, 12, and 14 as part of ul. Freta 39.
There is much confusion over this interpretation, however. The building at ul. Freta 39 has two entrances, from ul. Freta and ul. Koźla. This fact has been seized upon by Eureka. "The verdict points to eviction only at ul. Freta 39. The bailiff cannot take the remaining places," argues Piotr Szczepański, an administrator at Eureka. "This is rubbish," insists Lucjan Bełza, the director of the Warsaw security office at City Hall. "The notation in the geodetic filing system clearly states that the building is a whole." He says that the eviction will take place at each of the four addresses.
The management of Le Madame are very much outside of the loop, it seems, and were not even officially informed about the conflict. Ardent supporters of the venue, and the club has many, are standing firm on the issue. On March 21, the day the eviction was scheduled to take place, more than 100 people occupied the club, which legally prevents the eviction. The end of April will likely see a repeat of this scenario.
Le Madame is of significant architectural interest, something that has given the club its individual atmosphere. The roof is reinforced glass, and the main building is a largely metal construction of two transepts separated by a glass wall. Spiral stairs lead to an underground section with another bar and dance floor, surrounded by brick walls and dark corners. The well-planned light, Hundertwasser-like fountain, and old chains hanging from the ceiling, all create the atmosphere of an authentic postindustrial interior. It has become synonymous with Warsaw's artistic and intellectual scene, and many claim that the City would be better off preserving, rather than shutting down, such a distinctive artistic refuge.
