Exhibition City of Women

About the event

"City of Women" is an exhibition consisting of four parts: - "Gutsy," curated by Julia Bryan-Wilson - "Other Tomorrows" by Michalina Sablik and Vera Zalutskaya - "Her Heart" by Karolina Gembara - "We Were There. International Women's Year 1975," curated by Wiktoria Szczupacka ✨ The exhibition will run from November 21, 2025, to May 3, 2026. This mosaic of different attitudes and aesthetics is a testament to the richness, diverse traditions, and strength of feminist art, which will be presented in parallel with the historical, monumental exhibition "The Woman Question 1550–2025." In "City of Women," we can find a multitude of perspectives that refer both to well-known and established research topics related to art created by women artists, as well as follow the transformations of current artistic sensibility in this area. The exhibition opens at a time when concern for women's rights in Poland is once again receding into the background, and years of mobilization and activist efforts have not brought the desired results. The fundamental demand of the various forms of feminist art is equality, and art strengthens the political imagination that can give it real shape. The exhibition includes: - OTHER TOMORROWS The "Other Tomorrows" exhibition explores concepts of identity and community in times of political, ecological crises and growing social polarization. When previous ways of thinking and methods of action no longer work, there is a need to transcend entrenched divisions and seek new languages to describe the world, which take into account the diversity of forms of life, corporeality, and relationships. The exhibition presents works by seven international artists, drawing on myths, local legends, and personal experiences to create narratives in which fiction, fantasy, and technology become tools of emancipation. It is a proposal for feminist, decolonial, and queer thinking, where imagination becomes a political practice and a space of freedom. - GUTSY Gutsy is an international presentation featuring bold feminist works by artists who, in their poetics, refer to processes such as hydraulics, ventilation, or digestion. The representations of bodies here approach broadly understood infrastructure, revealing fragility and dependence on hidden systems that sustain life and community. Twelve creators, including Leonor Antunes, Maria Bartuszova, Mona Hatoum, Eva Hesse, Jumana Manna, Alina Szapocznikow, and Johanna Unzueta, use abstract sculptural forms to show not only the functionality but also the failure and irregularity of the systems in which we operate. In their works, they combine organic and synthetic materials, juxtaposing the bodily with the industrial. In their works—from flexible fabrics reminiscent of layers of skin to aluminum pipe systems—the political and historical experiences of the artists intertwine with reflections on infrastructure, and bodily intuition, acting "from the guts," escapes the rational mind. - HER HEART This part of the exhibition is devoted to reproductive rights, presenting visual works (photographs and films) that address the experience of abortion both in clinical and home settings, as well as its social perception. The invited artists share an intimate perspective—showing private stories of their own or their heroines. - WE WERE THERE. INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S YEAR 1975 The exhibition invites reflection on the history of feminist art in Poland and socialist feminism as an alternative to Western discourses. The curator looks at another type of globalization—based on international cooperation within state organizations—showing how diverse forms of struggle for women's rights influenced art and the history of feminism. It focuses on socialist and international women's organizations that shaped the narrative of women's emancipation in a completely different, and perhaps even more global, way. The exhibition presents documents related to the planning and implementation of artistic events for Women's Year 1975. Special attention is given to materials showing emancipation discourses and the situation of women artists in the Gierek decade, as well as documentation of the conceptual background for both creators and organizers involved in the state celebrations of 1975. ⚠️ SENSITIVE CONTENT OR INAPPROPRIATE FOR MINORS Some works in the exhibition address difficult topics or may be inappropriate for minors. Please refer to the leaflet on sensitive content. CURATORIAL TEAM Karolina Gembara, Michalina Sablik and Vera Zalutskaya, Wiktoria Szczupacka, Julia Bryan-Wilson Curatorial collaboration from MSN: Sebastian Cichocki, Jagna Lewandowska, Szymon Maliborski Thank you to our partners for their support: The museum is run by the City of Warsaw and the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage Strategic Partners: Audi Polska and Invest Komfort Museum and Collection Patron: EY Museum Partner: E.ON Polska, Friends of the Museum of Modern Art in Warsaw Education Partner: EFC Foundation Legal Partner: DZP Law Firm Exhibition Partner: PKP Media Partners: Polskie Radio, PAP, Onet, Vogue, Zwierciadło, Gazeta Wyborcza, Wysokie obcasy, Tygodnik Powszechny, Pismo Anna Maria Maiolino, In-Out (Antropografia), 1973. Courtesy of the artist and Galleria Raffaella Cortese, Milano – Albisola