On 21 December 2022, the Museum of Independence in Warsaw is opening the exhibition ‘I came back. Maria Konopnicka’. The exhibition has been prepared in cooperation between the Museum of Literature, the Women’s Archive of the Institute of Literary Research of the Polish Academy of Sciences (IBL PAN) and the Museum of Independence.

The aim of the project is to present selected moments from the author’s biography, the role she played in Polish history and culture, and how she is perceived today. Her life was a struggle for her own artistic and life path. As an astute observer of political life, a patriot and supporter of women’s rights – Konopnicka was far ahead of her time. Modern and traditional, she combined all extremes without giving up her independence and autonomy.

The exhibition ‘I came back. Maria Konopnicka’ was prepared on the occasion of the declaration of 2022 as the Year of Maria Konopnicka. At the same time, due to the fact that at the beginning of June this year the Institute of Cultural Routes of the Council of Europe obtained a certificate for the European Cultural Heritage Route Women Writers Route, whose Polish central figure is precisely Maria Konopnicka, and the Museum of Literature, together with the Women’s Archive Group of the IBL PAN, participate in the process of creating and functioning of the Route, the exhibition will contribute to the promotion of the writer’s work in Europe.

The exhibition was created on the basis of rich iconographic, archival and theatrical material, in a content and scenographic elaboration by outstanding, experienced Polish and foreign literature researchers and scenographers, producers of exhibitions.

The exhibition is divided into the following sections: The National Bard – creativity and politics; Childhood; The Peasant Question; The Women’s Question; Konopnicka and Warsaw (1887-1890); Travels 1890-1910. Longing for Far Away. Nomadism.

Adrian Andrzejewski