Weaving some whimsy into the urban fabric seems to be something that suits Bratislava rather well, sometimes it’s just more appropriate than yet another fountain. This is Čumil, a bronze sewer worker lounging out of a manhole like he’s clocked off early and decided to spectate modern life from street level. Installed in 1997, Čumil is one of the more enduring symbols of the city’s post-communist renaissance. His name translates loosely as “the watcher” or “the peeper”, though that sounds more sinister than the reality. He’s not creeping, he’s just more resting. Or thinking. Or possibly trying to avoid doing any actual work. Relatable really when it’s this hot, although I might have already mentioned the sub-optimal temperature around here.
Created by sculptor Viktor Hulík, Čumil was part of a wave of playful public artworks that began to appear after the Velvet Revolution, as Slovakia sought to forge a new identity following decades of rigid Soviet-era architecture and, let’s be honest, quite a lot of grey and depression (or is that repression?). The 1990s were a time of transition, and this chap emerging from the underworld felt like a small but symbolic break from the past. Although I did at first think it was like one of those installations that I’ve seen in Poland where this had some sort of link to the Second World War and trying to resist German occupation from the sewers.
He’s been through a few bumps in the literal sense as Čumil has been run over more than once by inattentive drivers (I can imagine someone I know who would run this over but I won’t give names), leading to the installation of a warning sign which adds a strangely bureaucratic flourish to his otherwise relaxed presence. His nose has now been polished to a golden sheen by the constant attention of passers-by who’ve been told, with great confidence but very little evidence, that rubbing it brings good luck. Perhaps in the sense of “I survived kneeling in a busy intersection to fondle a bronze face” which is an achievement in itself. But at least he’s a grounded chap….