Coming of Age

Coming of Age is a group exhibition about how contemporary art portrays the move from childhood to adulthood. The show gathers films, installations, objects, and interactive works - many of them made together with teenagers and the Ukrainian collective fra fra fra.

Zachęta on the exhibition:

Coming of Age is a universal story about fragility, shame, and searching for meaning in today’s chaotic world, in which both teenagers and adults can find themselves.

How does contemporary art describe the transition from childhood to adulthood and the problems teenagers face today? Can artistic tools help them build relationships and create alternative forms of communication in a chaotic world overflowing with images and information? Are they able to provide real support during their emotional crises and restore a sense of agency?

A common theme among the films, installations, and objects presented in the exhibition is the experience of coming of age in the realities of the contemporary world. On the one hand, the war in the immediate vicinity and the climate catastrophe reinforce in teenagers the conviction that there is no certain future. On the other hand, they experience peer and systemic violence daily, which is one of the main causes of the mental-health crisis. And finally, the chaos resulting from an overload of images, fake news, and the constant pressure exerted by social media.

The artists invited to the exhibition examine the boundaries between childhood and adulthood. Matt Copson’s laser opera Age of Coming tells the story of the growing-up process and its accompanying existential anxieties. Other works address problems such as difficulty accepting one’s physicality or the search for sexual identity combined with shame and fear of judgment and rejection. Recurring themes include loneliness, withdrawal, and at the same time, a longing for group belonging. Gisèle Vienne and Mohamed Bourouissa draw attention to the tools of systemic violence used in family and social structures that serve to deprive teenagers of their voice and agency, while simultaneously highlighting the enormous political potential of this marginalized social group. Anhar Salem addresses the topic of cyberbullying, and Magda Szpecht in her interactive installation, as well as the collective fantastic little splash during workshops held throughout the exhibition, focus on contemporary threats such as political manipulation through social media, while also pointing to possibilities for conscious and creative use of digital tools.

The starting point for the exhibition was the question of the role of cultural institutions and artistic tools in providing real support to teenagers facing a serious mental-health crisis in this age group, alongside the inefficiency of the psychiatric and psychological care system and the crisis in the education system. The aim was to create a space where the voices of teenagers could resonate in various ways. Therefore, a special place is given to works created collectively by them in collaboration with artists: Marta Romankiv and Weronika Zalewska, or Ania Nowak. An important part of the exhibition is an installation designed by Dasha Chechushkova, which presents works by several young people from the Ukrainian collective fra fra fra.

The exhibition was conceived as a space for experiments that encourages the discovery of possibilities offered by film cameras, poetry, performative actions, and theatrical practices - from deepening critical thinking skills and social awareness to support in coping with emotional crises.

What to expect

The exhibition runs from 1 May to 20 September 2026. Its subject is the reality of growing up in today’s world: the mental-health crisis, social-media pressure, the nearby war, and the climate catastrophe. The starting point was a question about whether cultural institutions and artistic tools can offer real support to teenagers - at a time when the psychiatric and educational systems are failing.

The works on view include Matt Copson’s laser opera Age of Coming, Magda Szpecht’s interactive installation, and pieces by Gisèle Vienne, Mohamed Bourouissa, and Anhar Salem that explore the boundary between childhood and adulthood. Part of the exhibition was made collectively with teenagers and the artists Marta Romankiv, Weronika Zalewska, and Ania Nowak. In an installation designed by Dasha Chechushkova, works by young people from the Ukrainian collective fra fra fra are presented. Workshops led by the collective fantastic little splash, among others, are held during the run.

Tickets, opening hours, and the full programme of accompanying events are on Zachęta’s website.

Museum profile: Zachęta.