The multimedia archival exhibition “Shaking the Archives: Women Who Shaped European History” opens on Friday, September 12, 2025, at 19:00 at the Cultural Space of the Heraklion Municipal Art Gallery (8 Chrysostomou Street). The exhibition will run through September 19.

A few words about the exhibition:

Who are the poets, politicians, workers, mothers, lawyers, philosophers, economists, radio producers, film directors and activists who, despite being exiled, imprisoned, excluded and obstructed by male-dominated institutions, still managed to help build Europe and shape its history? How are their stories and struggles connected? How did they succeed in creating communities and leading them, breaking down barriers and building bridges, healing collective wounds, and making sure history wouldn’t repeat itself?

Starting from a collection of research-based biographical texts on 18 women who played a pivotal—yet often overlooked—role in shaping European history from the late 19th century to the present, the exhibition explores the gendered dimension of collective memory and the “archive.” Through sound, moving images, objects, photography and other archival material, it brings to life the realities of these “heroines,” tracing the threads that connect their stories and fights, and ultimately claiming equal participation of all genders in shaping history.

This is both a reflection on our shared past and an invitation to action, in the footsteps of women who cleared the way.

Featured women: Melina Mercouri, Agni Roussopoulou, Betty Vakalidou, Dagmar Burešová, Olga Havlová, Lída Rakušanová, Dulcinea Bellido Carvajal, Carmen Díez de Rivera y de Icaza, Francisca Sauquillo Pérez del Arco, Hannah Arendt, Ursula Hirschmann, Nelly Sachs, Danuta Hübner, Anna Walentynowicz, Agnieszka Holland, Dorka Gryllus, Anna Kéthly, and Ottilia Solt.

Event Information
Opening: Friday, September 12 at 19:00
Opening Hours:
September 15–18: 10:00–14:00 & 18:00–21:00
September 19: 10:00–14:00 & 18:00–19:30
Location: Cultural Space of the Heraklion Municipal Art Gallery (8 Chrysostomou Street, Heraklion)
Free Admission
Production organised by: Inter Alia