Polish artist Małgorzata Dawidek presents her film, ‘Conversio’ (2015) in our current exhibition, ‘The Space Between’ ending 25th July 2026 at Centrala. What does it mean to build a new life while holding onto the place you came from? Małgorzata Dawidek’s ‘Conversio’ explores this question through the stories of migrant women living in Birmingham.
Bringing together moving image, sound, animation and spoken narratives, the multimedia installation weaves personal experiences of relocation, identity and belonging. Rather than presenting migration as a single journey from one place to another, ‘Conversio’ reveals it as an ongoing process of adaptation, where memories, cultures and identities continue to evolve over time.
The title, ‘Conversio (meaning “transformation” or “conversion”) captures this continual state of change. Layers of voices, languages and visual fragments reflect the complexity of living between cultures, showing how ideas of home and belonging are constantly negotiated.
By centring individual stories, Dawidek shifts the conversation away from headlines and statistics, inviting us to consider the deeply human experiences behind migration. ‘Conversio’ reminds us that belonging is not simply about where we come from, but about the relationships, memories and communities we create along the way.
About Małgorzata Dawidek:
Małgorzata Dawidek is a visual artist and researcher whose multidisciplinary practice brings together photography, drawing, installation, text, and performance. Combining historical research with philosophy, social sciences, and the medical humanities, her work explores memory, migration, the human body, and the ethics of representation.
She holds PhDs in Art History and Fine Art Media and has exhibited internationally across Europe, India, and the United States. Alongside her artistic practice, Dawidek is an author, educator, and recipient of numerous awards and grants, including support from the Pollock-Krasner Foundation and the Polish Ministry of Culture and National Heritage.
Website: dawidek.art
Instagram: malgorzatadawidek