One Is Not Born, but Becomes – Exhibition Opening// 
CSAK ezt az 1-et kértem! Feminist 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.
About the Artists:
Ágota Mucsi graduated from the Moholy-Nagy University of Art and Design (MOME) in 2024 with a degree in Photography. Her work focuses deeply on the individual and the psyche, addressing the body, its cultural perception, and the multifaceted experiences of womanhood.
Janka Sólyom is a media artist and a graduate of the Media Design program at MOME, where she is currently pursuing her Master’s degree. Her work often explores themes of childhood and memory, creating personal and collective experiences through the intersection of space, sound, materials, and visual narrative.
Curator: Eszter Albert
Special thanks: Bendegúz Molnár
The event is part of the CSAK ezt az 1-et kértem! Feminist Festival 2026
Event: https://fb.me/e/43p9Ojf89 Further information & full program: https://auroraonline.hu/csak-ezt-az-1-et-kertem…/ Facebook: www.facebook.com/feministafesztival Instagram: www.instagram.com/feministafesztival/
During the festival, we are organizing a fundraising campaign for the BMSZKI Dózsa Street Night Shelter, which provides accommodation in Budapest for homeless women and other women in precarity. They provide everything from low-access-barrier aid to a special 24-hour support. BSZKI also operates a trauma-sensitive gynecological clinic.
You can find detailed information about the fundraiser here and soon on the festival’s Facebook events page.
You can also learn more about the important work of BMSZKI here:
https://www.facebook.com/BMSZKIhttps://www.bmszki.hu/https://www.instagram.com/bmszki/