The ‘Milky tears run in threes’ project captures the five-year period from 2019-2024, during which time the artist undergoes a profound transformation marked by matrescence - (‘The physical, psychological and emotional changes you go through after the birth of your child’, author Lucy Jones describes)

This journey unfolds within the framework of a self-initiated Artist Residency in Motherhood, against the backdrop of migration between the UK and Poland, navigating the complexities of cultural and societal differences.

Living in the times where women continually battle for autonomy over their bodies, the artist's experiences are further shaped by active participation in movements like #CzarnyProtest (Black Protest) and #StrajkKobiet (Women’s Strike) in Poland. These movements represent a powerful collective voice against restrictive government policies and the societal devaluation of women's rights. By engaging in these protests, the artist contributes to the broader struggle for gender equality and reproductive justice, weaving personal transformation into the fabric of social activism and maternal identity.

Throughout this project, the artist delves into the symbolism of the number three, particularly focusing on the concept that "All the eggs a woman will ever carry form in her ovaries while she is a four-month-old foetus in the womb of her mother. This means our cellular life as an egg begins in the womb of our grandmother. Each of us spent five months in our grandmother’s womb and she in turn formed within the womb of her grandmother." This perspective highlights the interconnectedness and continuity of life across generations, symbolized by the maternal lineage and the shared biological experience of female development. Interestingly, the artist’s grandmothers are named Magdalena and Ewa, which adds another layer of personal significance to the exploration of these cultural archetypes and symbols. The names Magdalena and Ewa carry historical and symbolic weight, echoing the broader themes of femininity, spirituality, and human connection that the artist am examines in her project. This personal connection to the names further enriches Marcelina’s understanding and interpretation of the cultural and biological threads woven throughout her work. These patterns lead the artist to reflect on eggs—the biological concept of cellular life beginning in the womb of one's grandmother, and their cultural symbolism as universal symbols of fertility, rebirth, and renewal (especially in Christian traditions where Easter represents the Resurrection), and the personal significance tied to the birth of her son on Easter Saturday, aligning themes of new life, rebirth, and the cyclical nature of existence.

25 MAY - MY BIRTHDAY
26 MAY - MOTHERS DAY IN POLAND
26 MAY - DEATH OF MY FATHER
1 JUNE - INTERNATIONAL CHILDREN DAY

Milky Tears Run In Threes

Mamalia Book

Kurtyna Milczenia / Curtain of Silence

Sick Drawings

Oxytocin Killed My Shoes

Płaczki Grupa ŁONO

Project 7

Project 7