One Is Not Born, but Becomes- Exhibition Opening // Feminist Film Festival 2026

As we transition from childhood to adulthood, an inevitable question emerges: is the self-image we cultivate a reflection of our internal needs, or an ideal dictated by external expectations? In their installation, Ágota Mucsi and Janka Sólyom explore the intricate process of "becoming a woman." Central to the work is the dollhouse—a motif that functions as both an idealized fairytale realm and a mirror for our outward projections. By deconstructing this symbol, the artists investigate whether our personal framework is shaped by societal pressures, the male gaze, or our own internal standards.

Ágota Mucsi’s photography series, an examination of eating disorders and body image, acquires a new dimension within this collaborative spatial experience. Alongside Janka Sólyom’s contributions, the work draws a parallel between the milestones of coming-of-age and the physical transformation of the body. The installation evokes a liminal state: a threshold where the former self fades as a new identity begins to emerge—tentative, uncertain, and weighted by the constant pressure of being observed. The deconstructed dollhouse, the photography, and an abstract soundscape converge to peel back the internal and external layers of change.

The title draws upon a fragment from Simone de Beauvoir’s The Second Sex, in which the author interprets female identity as a social and cultural construct: "One is not born, but rather becomes, a woman." Although Beauvoir’s 1949 work has faced various contemporary critiques, its role in feminist literature remains foundational. The exhibition uses Beauvoir’s classic thesis as a springboard to examine modern approaches to the concept.

Responding to this idea, the exhibition views "becoming a woman" not as a finished state, but as a continuously evolving system of processes shaped by external expectations and internal identifications. The installation space can thus be interpreted not only as a site of personal transformation but also as a stage for questioning social roles.