Čumil is an intriguing statue depicting a man-sized worker coming out of the sewers.
We encountered the famed street art piece on a trip to Bratislava, the capital of Slovakia in Europe.
The Meaning of the Statue
Bratislava needed a fresh start after having made it through a bleak Communist era, and to showcase their identity after the split of Slovakia from Czechia in 1993.
The city commissioned a renowned Slovakian artist, Viktor Hulík, to create the whimsical manhole figure landmark in 1997 to beautify the old town, and it has since been attracting visitors from all over the world.
The artist came up with an out-of-the-box bronze figurine of what appears to be a handyman or sewer worker in a manhole, and he coined it Čumil.
Translated, the name means “the lurker” or “the watcher” in Slovak.
Is he watching passersby? Is he a peeping tom looking under a skirt? Or is he most innocently just resting his chin briefly because he is tired?
The world has since then used this exact statue to explain a bad habit called rubbernecking. Explained briefly, rubbernecking is when people stare and gawk at a person or an event, such as an accident.
When we encountered Čumil, we just assumed that the city was honoring the workers who keep the city so squeaky clean. Little did we know.
They placed a signboard next to the figure saying “Man at work,” so I assume most people see the unexpected landmark in the same unassuming light.
That said, young and old adore Čumil, and they like to rub his head for good luck. Do not reveal your wish if you want it to come true.
Location
Bratislava isn't that vast, but from afar you might miss Čumil because he is literally on the floor. Look out for numerous tourists and groups of people, and sure enough you will see the Rubbernecker Sewer Worker.
You will encounter him near the main square at the crossroads between the Rybárska brána road (Fisherman's Gate) and the Panská road, merging into the Laurinská main old town road.
Čumil is located near other monuments, including the Maximilian's fountain and the Schöne Náci statue.
Bratislava has many more comical art installations, and these are refreshingly avant-garde, easy to relate to, and light-hearted.
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