In early September, with our support, the Museum of Moscow will open a major multimedia project, "Women of Science. Science Without Permission." The exhibition tells the stories of women who, against all odds, not only pursued science at a time when it was considered a male domain but also succeeded in leaving a remarkable mark on history.
The exhibition brings together eight scientific disciplines: physics, mathematics, chemistry, geology, microbiology, cognitive science, climatology, and astronomy — connecting the great discoveries of past centuries with the research of women scientists working today. Its protagonists include not only the "women of science" who helped lay the foundations of Russian science as we know it today but also our contemporaries, whose work, despite its importance, often remains little known to the general public.
The team working on the "Women of Science. Science Without Permission" exhibition includes art projects curator Nina Gomiashvili, Nikita Lavrenov (Researcher at the Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution of the Russian Academy of Sciences), curator Dmitry Likin, and creative producer Olga Vad.
Among the exhibition's main protagonists are physicist Alexandra Glagoleva-Arkadieva, mathematicians Sofia Kovalevskaya and Olga Ladyzhenskaya, chemist Yulia Lermontova, geologist Natalia Kind, microbiologist Zinaida Ermolyeva, zoopsychologist Nadezhda Ladygina-Kohts, climatologist Evgenia Rubinstein, and astronomer Nina Subbotina.
Dmitry Likin, Co-curator of the project:
They managed to become scientists despite many obstacles, often including outright prohibitions. All of our protagonists made enormous efforts to overcome the inertia of their surroundings, traditionalism, and sometimes chauvinism in order to make the astonishing discoveries that forever inscribed their names in the history of Russian science.
The stories of the lives and work of brilliant scientists of the past and first-person accounts of current research will be complemented by works by artists experimenting in the field of science art — an area of contemporary art in which artistic expression exists at the intersection of art, science, and technology.
Nina Gomiashvili, Curator of the exhibition:
We thought we were making an exhibition about justice. But it turned out to be about joy — the joy of discovery! About that exhilarating moment when the invisible becomes visible, when you suddenly realize: you are the first person to uncover this mystery. In our exhibition, science speaks the language of inspiration and art, while art speaks the language of discovery. This is more than an exhibition. It is a dialogue across time.
At this exhibition, historical lives are intertwined with the everyday reality of science. It features the work of contemporary scientists, including a whole cohort of Foundation scholarship recipients.
Oksana Oracheva, General Director of the Vladimir Potanin Foundation:
By supporting the 'Women of Science' project, we continue to work toward the primary goal of the Vladimir Potanin Scholarship Program — creating an environment in which knowledge, professionalism, and leadership are valued. Since 1999, the Scholarship Program has supported talented students and university faculty across Russia, building professional communities and setting benchmarks for the future. Unlocking human potential is at the heart of the Foundation's work, and 'Women of Science' is a vivid example of this approach. We believe that bringing the journeys and achievements of talented people to a wider audience will inspire a new wave of researchers, students, and young scientists to make breakthrough discoveries and pursue professional growth.
The exhibition at the Museum of Moscow is timed to coincide with the online premiere of the eight-part documentary-animation series "Women of Science." The project was created by Anastasia Koretskaya and Anna Kolchina's production company Tigra Films with support from the Vladimir Potanin Foundation and the Institute for Internet Development. The Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology (Skoltech) is the project's information and intellectual partner.
Anastasia Koretskaya and Anna Kolchina, Producers of the project:
The main idea behind our documentary project is to make women scientists visible to more people and draw the attention of young audiences to opportunities for pursuing a career in science.
Each exhibition hall is a thematic and visual extension of one episode of the series — a field of science represented by protagonists from the past and present: outstanding Russian women scientists with extraordinary careers and life stories
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