Miriam Cahn's First Polish Retrospective at Museum of Modern Art Warsaw Explores Violence and Empathy

The Museum of Modern Art in Warsaw hosted Miriam Cahn's inaugural retrospective in Poland, named I As Human, from 29 November 2019 to 1 March 2020. This exhibition showcased a range of her works spanning from 1981 to 2019, including paintings, drawings, sculptures, and digital art. Born in 1949 to Jewish immigrants, Cahn is recognized for her feminist activism and her withdrawal from Documenta 7 in 1982. Notable pieces featured were couldbeme (2017), megalopolis (1987), classic(al) loving (1983), mammal (1998), and processing (2019). Curator Natalia Sielewicz remarked that Cahn's work exemplified 'radical empathy,' prompting reflections on how audiences engage with her profound explorations of violence and trauma.