Poland: Traditionally Multicultural – An Extraordinary Portrait of Polish Society at the “Familiar Strangers” Exhibition in France

Poland has never been an ethnically or culturally homogeneous country. From 10 September, French audiences will be able to discover an exhibition that challenges stereotypical perceptions of Poland entitled “Familiar Strangers. Une Pologne multiple” at 49 Nord 6 Est—Frac Lorraine. The exhibition invites visitors to experience the country’s complex identity and multicultural heritage through works by contemporary artists from Poland and Eastern Europe, many of which will be presented in France for the first time.

A Portrait of Multicultural Poland

By looking at Polish society through the lens of minorities and borderland communities, “Familiar Strangers. Une Pologne multiple” reminds us that migration and cultural exchange have always been an integral part of the human experience. As the exhibition’s curators, Joanna Warsza and Fanny Gonella, emphasise, this message is particularly relevant today, when the outbreak of the war in Ukraine compels us to rethink the very idea of a European community.

Russia’s brutal invasion of Ukraine has exposed the differences between the experiences of Eastern and Western Europe, while also revealing the dominance of a Western European perspective in the narrative about our region. The exhibition presents the unique character and diversity of Eastern Europe from the perspective of its inhabitants, and especially its minorities, says Joanna Warsza.

The exhibition demonstrates that Polish history and culture have, for centuries, been shaped by migration and the coexistence of different communities. It invites visitors to discover the cultures present in Poland, as well as their historical connections with Lorraine, revealing lesser-known histories of living together. By bringing together the perspectives of artists from Poland and Eastern Europe with works by artists of Polish descent living in Lorraine and artworks from the Frac Lorraine collection, the exhibition offers a view of Poland that reaches beyond the framework of a homogeneous national identity.

The exhibition features representatives of the Polish and Eastern European art scenes, including Assaf Gruber, Janek Simon, Jasmina Metwaly, Małgorzata Mirga-Tas, Ngo Van Tuong, Oliwia Bosomtwe, Renata Rara Kamińska, Aleksandra Wasilkowska (Shadow Architecture), and Zuzanna Hertzberg.

Together, their works create an extraordinary portrait of Poland that challenges the myth of national homogeneity. At the same time, they offer a perspective that encourages deeper reflection on the identity of Eastern Europe as a whole—its history, its present, and its place within the European community.

Closer Than We Think: Poles, French, Europeans

Curated by Joanna Warsza and Fanny Gonella, Director of Frac Lorraine, the exhibition continues the project whose first iteration, “Familiar Strangers. Eastern Europeans”, was presented last year at BOZAR Centre for Fine Arts in Brussels. The title itself refers to Stuart Hall’s autobiography “Familiar Stranger: A Life Between Two Islands”. Hall, the renowned British sociologist of Jamaican origin and one of the founders of cultural studies, was himself a lifelong migrant, living between two cultures and societies. He approached questions of national identity from the perspective of the “borderlands”: the peripheries and margins.

The French edition of the exhibition has been expanded to include works by local artists of Polish descent from the Grand Est region, Eva Prusiewicz and the duo OPJ Cyganek and Julie Poulain. Their participation reveals yet another historical connection, adding an additional Polish–French dimension to the exhibition. It reflects the presence in Lorraine of descendants of Polish families who migrated there in large numbers during the 1920s in search of work in the region’s mines and heavy industry.

The exhibition also places these works in dialogue with pieces by Polish pioneers of conceptual and feminist art from the permanent collection of Frac Lorraine. This offers French audiences an opportunity to become more familiar with some of the best-known works by leading figures of the Polish neo-avant-garde, including Natalia LL’s iconic photographs from the “Consumer Art” series, documentation of Teresa Murak’s ritual “Procession” through the streets of Warsaw in the mid-1970s, and works by Ewa Partum. Contemporary works by Emma Dajska, also part of the Frac Lorraine collection, will likewise be presented in the exhibition.

In Search of Common Ground

By exploring the experiences of migrants, the exhibition encourages visitors to reconsider our relationships with our “familiar strangers” while reminding us how profoundly migration has shaped Europe over the centuries. At the same time, it offers a perspective that acknowledges the complexity of our region and rejects the long-prevailing tendency to define Eastern European identity simply in opposition to Western Europe—as “the other Europe”, inferior and peripheral. In the face of the social crises and challenges brought about by the war in Ukraine, emphasising the value of diversity and cultural exchange takes on renewed significance.

The history of Poland has never been a history of homogeneity. For centuries, it has been shaped by encounters between cultures, languages, and traditions. The ‘Familiar Strangers’ exhibition reminds us of this heritage while also showing that it remains relevant today. Polish culture is co-created by people of diverse backgrounds and experiences—by Polish, Ukrainian, Belarusian, and Roma communities alike. This is what makes it rich and diverse, much like Europe itself. Culture enables us to translate this diversity into dialogue and mutual understanding. It is up to us whether we build on it to foster solidarity, trust, and lasting relationships, says Olga Wysocka, Director of the Adam Mickiewicz Institute.

A Prelude to the Sezon Francja-Polska 2027 Cultural Season

The exhibition is the latest expression of the growing interest in the Polish art scene in France in recent years and a preview of even closer cultural cooperation between the two countries in the run-up to the Sezon Francja-Polska 2027 cultural season.

The Season, scheduled to begin in the second half of February 2027, will feature a programme of events taking place simultaneously in both countries. The programme in France will be organised by the Adam Mickiewicz Institute in cooperation with the Polish Institute in Paris. The programme in Poland will be coordinated by the French Institute in cooperation with the Embassy of France in Poland. More information about the France–Poland Cultural Season 2027 is available here

"Familiar Strangers. Une Pologne multiple"

  • Location: 49 Nord 6 Est—Frac Lorraine, Metz, France
  • Exhibition opening: 10.09.2026
  • Exhibition dates: 11.09.2026—14.02.2027
  • Curators: Joanna Warsza, Fanny Gonella in collaboration with Sophie Potelon

  • Artists: Assaf Gruber, Emma Dajska, Eva Prusiewicz, Ewa Partum, Janek Simon, Jasmina Metwaly, Małgorzata Mirga-Tas, Natalia LL, Ngo Van Tuong, Oliwia Bosomtwe, OPJ Cyganek and Julie Poulain, Renata Rara Kamińska, Shadow Architecture, Teresa Murak, Zuzanna Hertzberg

  • Organiser: Frac Lorraine

  • Co-organiser: Adam Mickiewicz Institute, Polish Institute in Paris

  • More information: https://www.fraclorraine.org/en/exhibition/familiar-strangers-une-pologne-multiple/

  • The exhibition is co-organised by the Adam Mickiewicz Institute, co-funded by the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage of the Republic of Poland, and supported by the Polish Institute in Paris.

The Adam Mickiewicz Institute (IAM) brings Polish culture to people around the world. Being a state institution, it creates lasting interest in Polish culture and art through strengthening the presence of Polish artists on the global stage. It initiates innovative projects, supports international cooperation and cultural exchanges. It promotes the work of both established and promising artists, showing the diversity and richness of our culture. The Adam Mickiewicz Institute is also responsible for the Culture.pl website, a comprehensive source of knowledge about Polish culture. More information: https://iam.pl/en

Media contact:

Bartłomiej Jankowski
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phone: +48 601 343 968

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