Zachęta – National Gallery of Art

curatores: Katarzyna Kołodziej-Podsiadło, Joanna Kordjak oraz Julia Marchand
Artists participating in the exhibition and public program: Mohamed Bourouissa; Dasha Chechushkova & fra fra fra (Awgust, Pavlo Chechushkov, Oksana Holovach, Nika Klianchyna, Mikki, Nika Lutsiuk, Téru, Katia Vazhynska, Alisa Yarova); Chiki; Matt Copson; Andro Eradze; fantastic little splash; Aneta Grzeszykowska; Ane Hjort Guttu; Eva Koťátková; Ant Łakomsk; Ania Nowak oraz Stefania Sural, Natasha Trompiz, Helena Wicher; Liselor Perez; Marta Romankiv i Weronika Zalewska oraz Vasyl Buzenko, Marianna Zofia Grabowska, Max Hańderek, Anna Koniak, Tony Koniak, Dominika Shashkun; Anhar Salem; Magda Szpecht; Gisèle Vienne; Jaśmina Wójcik

The exhibition opening will take place on 30 April at 7 pm, free admission

After-party following the exhibition, 8pm–11pm at Alina Cafe & Bar

Adolescence is a universal story about vulnerability, shame and the search for meaning in today’s chaotic world, one that both teenagers and adults can relate to.

How does modern art describe the transition from childhood to adulthood, and the problems teenagers face these days? Can artistic tools help them build relationships and create alternative means of communication in the chaotic world, overwhelmed by a barrage of images and information? Can they offer actual support in the emotional crises those people face, and restore their sense of agency? 

A common motif in the videos, installations and other works presented at the exhibition is the experience of adolescence in the reality of today’s world. There is the close proximity of the ongoing war, and the climate disaster that reinforces the sense of uncertainty about the future. Another aspect is the violence experienced at the hands of peers and the system – one of the major causes of the mental health crisis. And finally, there is the chaos created by the onslaught of images, fake news, and the constant social media pressure. 

The artists invited to contribute to the exhibition explore the line between childhood and adulthood. Matt Copson’s laser opera, Age of Coming, talks about adolescence as a process, and the existential anxiety that comes with it. Other works tackle problems such as the struggle to accept one’s corporeality, or the search for one’s sexual identity, accompanied by shame and the fear of judgement and rejection. Loneliness and withdrawal are recurring themes, alongside with the yearning for a sense of belonging. Gisèle Vienne and Mohamed Bourouissa draw our attention to the tools of systemic violence used in family and social settings, which deprive teenagers of their voice and agency; at the same time, they highlight the vast political potential of this marginalised social group. Anhar Salem takes on the topic of cyberbullying. Magda Szpecht with her interactive installation, and the fantastic little splash collective with the workshop they are going to hold during the exhibition, focus on modern threats such as political manipulation through social media; at the same time, they show how the digital tools can be used in intentional and creative ways. 

The starting point for the exhibition was the question about the role of cultural institutions and artistic tools as a means of providing actual support to teenagers. The backdrop here is the serious mental health crisis that affects this age group, facilitated by a crisis in education and the dramatic failure of the psychiatric and psychological health care system. The goal was to create a space where teenagers’ voices could resound in various ways. That is why the exhibition spotlights the works they created collectively in cooperation with artists such as Marta Romankiv and Weronika Zalewska or Ania Nowak. One of the highlights in the exposition is the installation designed by Dasha Chechushkova, which presents the works of over a dozen young people from the Ukrainian fra fra fra collective. 

The exhibition was designed to offer a space for experimentation that encourages discovering the opportunities offered by the film camera, poetry, performative actions, or theatrical practices – from enhancing critical thinking skills and social awareness, to offering support in handling emotional crises. 

More than just an age category or a biological phenomenon, the works showcased here treat adolescence also as a state of mind. Thus, they weave a universal story about shame, vulnerability, and the search for meaning, which may resonate with both teenagers and adults. 

^{photo: Aneta Grzeszykowska, Daughter #04, 2025, created with support from the D’ARC Foundation in Rome}