Women's Art History | Experience Written in the Flesh

Female artists often use their own body and personal experiences as a starting point for art. We will look at the work of women who, through body, experience and personal history, tell about identity, memory and the limits of human experience.

“Women's Art History” is a series of meetings dedicated to the presence of women in art: as creators, heroines of paintings, muses, mothers, partners, witnesses of history and commentators of reality. It is a story about the female experience recorded in paintings, biographies and symbols, as well as how art becomes a language of sensitivity, resistance and personal confession.

During the meetings, we will look at how the representation of women has changed over the centuries (from idealized images to conscious, autonomous narratives of female artists). We will reflect on the figure of the mother in painting, discover unusual love stories captured on canvases, and also trace how life can be written in the language of art.

We will also address the theme of art in the face of violence and social crises, as a space of opposition, memory and symbolic action. We will look at silence and everyday life as artistic themes and try to read the hidden messages that artists weave into their works.

“Women's Art History” is an invitation to look closely, talk, and explore less obvious narratives. It is a series for people who want to look deeper and have the opportunity to see the history of art from a perspective that has been marginalized for centuries, and today it resonates more and more strongly. The meetings will take place in a relaxed atmosphere, in the form of engaging lectures, allowing space for discussion.

Conducted by: Adrianna Gajdziszewska (Hard Art)
A visual artist, art historian and educator who shows that art history can be a tool for social change and critical thinking about the world. PhD student at the Academy of Fine Arts in Łódź and creator of the nationwide educational project Twardasztuka.com, thanks to which thousands of people across Poland discover art in a new, contemporary way. Graduation examiner in art history and initiator of the national competition “Krakow Pearls”, promoting cultural heritage among young people. Winner of the award of the City of Krakow “Animator of the Year” 2025. She conducts lectures, workshops and educational and curatorial projects in cultural institutions throughout Poland, combining art, education and social activities.

Date: October 7, 2026 (Wednesday),

Time: 18:00

Venue: Gold Room, Dworek Białoprądnicki Cultural Centre

Admission is free