Hanna Tokaj is a person who seeks challenges in all areas of her life, starting with a wish to change her place of residence to an unending and deeply dedicated work ethic. She compares moving to another country, developing new connections and standing on her own feet, to building life from scratch. It’s the same with artworks. They start from scratch and are waiting to be shaped.

Hanna combines art and activism

Hanna’s curatorial method is humanistic and immersive. She believes art is idealy for society and the people in it. Starting with a bachelor in cultural anthropology, she sought a path that could combine her passion for art with her dedication to activism. It was when she was first introduced to exhibitions that touched on political subjects that she became interested in curatorial processes that included active participation. She became aware that curating was more than the aesthetic hanging of pictures that would be removed and replaced before the next vernissage. It could be a force for awakening and potential change.

Born and raised in Poland, her activistic urge was motivated by the plight of women in her home country. The helplessness that came from the absence of control over the female body made her want to use the art scene as a tool to fight for it. Having dedicating her bachelor’s thesis to the topic of how women are perceived and exploited in art, she remains deeply concerned by the current circumstances.

Hanna creates narratives

In 2022 Hanna started gaining experience in the art scene, collaborating in diverse projects with different people. Her main agenda is to create an engrossing experience which has an impact that stays with people long after they see an exhibition. For her, curating is more than just selecting and displaying works of art. It is about creating narratives that evoke emotions and provoke thought. She sees exhibitions as journeys where visitors can engage with complex issues and diverse perspectives. Through her work, she hopes to spark discussion and inspire change, especially in areas such as gender inequality.

images by PILOTENKUECHE or supplied by curator

The curator emphasizes that she wants to break the illusion of the art scene being a resilient wall; accessible and reachable by only a select group of society. She is captivated by the idea of community involvement and the erasing of the people’s fear of entering the exhibition. According to Hanna, everybody deserves to understand that art is also for them. The beauty lies in the interaction between the art and the people, the feeling of acceptance and belonging by entering the cultural space.

Kicking through the wall

She recalls her childhood when dictating stories to her parents before she could write. She recognized the innate desire to create and communicate. This journey taught her the importance of seeking out opportunities rather than waiting for them to find her. It required humility and perseverance, but it opened doors to a world of possibilities.

Written by Lisa Savchuk

windy HOME
part of Tour de Franz

Sat 25 & Sun 26 May
2PM – 7PM

PILOTENKUECHE
Franz-Flemming-Str 9
04179 Leipzig

mute BODY

Vernissage Fri 21 June 7-10 PM
Sat 22 – Wed 26 June 4-8 PM

Alte Handelsschule
Giesserstr 75
04229 Leipzig