11 September 2025

Opening of the exhibition "DIGNITAS HOMINIS, or Exercises in Pain and Suffering for Artificial Intelligence" / Museum of Photography in Kraków (MuFo) and University Hospital in Kraków

Since 11 September 2025, the exhibition "DIGNITAS HOMINIS, or Exercises in Pain and Suffering for Artificial Intelligence" by Paweł Kowalewski, created in collaboration with the Museum of Photography in Kraków, can be seen in the space of the University Hospital in Kraków. Is there room for contemporary art in a hospital? This September, two institutions answered that question: the University Hospital in Kraków and the Museum of Photography in Kraków, inviting an exhibition of works from Paweł Kowalewski's cycle "DIGNITAS HOMINIS, or Exercises in Pain and Suffering for Artificial Intelligence" within the hospital's walls. In doing so, they proved that art can find its place outside a museum's four walls — and outside them, it may move, intrigue, bring comfort and inspiration, or allow a moment's respite in which the mind can drift away from everyday worries and tasks, even if only for a moment. Good news: the exhibition has been extended until the end of March 2026. Admission is free, on display at the Punkt Pobrań (collection point) — everyone welcome! An important aspect of the event is drawing attention to the potential such initiatives hold. This is a rare example of an exhibition organised in a public institution in collaboration with a professional museum institution and an established, well-regarded artist. The partnership between the Museum of Photography in Kraków (MuFo) and Paweł Kowalewski with the University Hospital in Kraków shows that such collaborations are possible. Public institutions such as courts, offices, or universities rarely make use of the possibilities and benefits that come from human contact with art. Encountering it outside a museum context, in our down-to-earth and often difficult everyday life, opens us up to new emotions and can offer support, or become a moment of experiencing beauty, curiosity, and inspiration. Who knows — it might even bring new strength, so needed in overcoming illness. Cheerful pictures in children's wards surprise no one; they're meant to lift patients' spirits and give them a little comfort and joy. The project carries the thesis that similar support should be available to all patients, regardless of age. That is why the participation of a museum institution in this event guarantees quality and should inspire further initiatives that could take place in public institutions across the whole country. The place of contemporary art can extend far beyond familiar frames and museum walls — as the public space of Kraków's University Hospital, filled with Paweł Kowalewski's works, so clearly proves.