bio
books
acitivist
academic activity
punk singer

Sylwia Chutnik

OFFICIAL WEBSITE
WRITER AND ACTIVIST

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Biography

Born in Warsaw in 1979. Doctor of Humanities. A cultural studies graduate, she graduated in Gender Studies from the University of Warsaw and Polish-Jewish Studies from the Institute of Literary Research of the Polish Academy of Sciences. She is a writer, publicist, social activist, and literature promoter. She is a member of the Literary Union Association. She curates literary festivals and initiatives (the Apostrophe International Literary Festival, the OFF Literary Café, discussions and author meetings). She is a lecturer at the University of Warsaw and SWPS University. She is a columnist for "Polityka" and numerous magazines and websites. She co-hosts the cultural programs "Hala odlotów," "Cappuccino z książka," and "Zapomniani - zapominani" (Forgotten - Recovered) on TVP Kultura, as well as "Barłóg literacki." Her texts have appeared in collective books and in numerous catalogues for contemporary art exhibitions and theater programs (including those of the Grand Theatre - National Opera, the Bunkier Sztuki Gallery, and the Nobel Museum in Stockholm). She publishes as a guest author in the Polish and international press. Her scholarly work has appeared in over 25 publications and collective books. She received scholarships from Homines Urbani 2008, the Books from Lithuania Institute 2009, the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage 2010, the City of Warsaw 2010, and the Goethe Institute 2010.

She has received literary and social awards.

She serves on the Olga Rok Award Committee, the Citizens' Committee of the "Polityka" Scientific Awards, and the Council of the Feminoteka Foundation, among others.

She was the lead singer of the punk band Zimny ​​Maj.

She hosts the "Kącik Różowej Grzywki" (Rose Fringe Corner) program on Radio Nowy Świat.

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Writer

Author of the novels "Pocket Atlas of Women" (Ha!Art 2008), "Dzidzia" (Świat Książki 2009), "Cwaniary" (Świat Książki 2012), "Jolanta" (Znak 2015). "The Sadness of a Cinkciarz" (From Desk to Desk 2016), "Backwards Facing" (Znak 2022) and the history book "Women's Warsaw" (Polityka Library 2011), essays "Kłirówy. Those Who Broke the Rules" (with Justyna Bilik, Osnova 2025), a fairy tale for children "Nieszczypek" (Muza 2015), "Dino Bambino" (Wytwórnia 2018), a collection of columns "Mom is Always Right" (Mamania 2012), a collection of short stories "Please Come In. Prison, Untrue Stories" (Nowy Teatr 2012) and "In Wonderland" (Znak 2014), "Dintojra" (Znak 2024), conversations "Women Who Fight. Conversations with Women" Combat Sports" (GW Foksal 2017), the poetry collection "Pobite gary" (Girls and Queers to the Front 2025), and the scholarly book "Miasto zgruzowstawe. Codzienność Warszawy w lat 1954-1955" (Ossolineum 2020).

The novels have been performed by the Powszechny Theatre in Warsaw, the Polonia Theatre in Warsaw, and the H. Modrzejewska Theatre in Legnica. She is a recipient of the Polityka Passports 2008 (literature). She has been nominated three times for the Nike Award (in 2009, 2012, and 2015). Her books and short stories have been translated and published in Germany, Russia, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Croatia, North America, Serbia, and Lithuania. Creator of the following theatre plays: "Muranooo" (Drama Theatre in Warsaw and Itim Theatre Ensemble in Tel Aviv), "Aleksandra" (Drama Theatre in Wałbrzych), "Wanda" (co-authored with Patrycja Dołowy, Stary Theatre in Krakow), "Rape. Voices" (Powszechny Theatre), "Lesbian Sunset" (Teatr Teraz Poliż) and the radio play "Piwnica" (premiere on Trójka on 4 August 2014). She won the "Dama Warszawy 2007" and "Wawoaktywni 2008" competitions, and was nominated for the "Stołek" award, the Gazeta Stołeczna award in 2008. She was nominated for the Gazeta Wyborcza Polish Woman of the Year 2007 and the Glamour Woman 2008, as well as the Róża Gala award in the literature category in 2010. She also won the "3 X" award from the "Onaonaona.com" portal and the "Okulary Równości" award in 2012. Her "Pocket Atlas of Women" was named Radio 3's Book of the Year in 2009.

Three times nominated for the Nike award, she won the Polityka Passport award in 2008.

In 2018, she received the City of Warsaw Award for literary and social work.

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Books

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Translations

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Activist

She has been working for human rights since 1995. She was a volunteer of Amnesty International. Involved in the feminist movement: the informal Emancypunx group (1996-2001), the Women's Agreement on 8 March (2000-2015). She worked at the Feminoteka Foundation. Initiator and president of the Mama Foundation acting to improve the situation of mothers in Poland (2006-2016). She cooperated with over 20 non-governmental organizations.

Supports many projects and social campaigns as well as charity collections. Areas of interest: women's rights, children's situation, animal rights, promotion of reading and culture.

Awards: Social Nobel Ashoka 2011, Foundation Polcul Award 2011, Award of the Capital City of Warsaw 2018.

Nominations: "Glasses of Equality 2012", "Dama Warszawy 2007" and "Wawoaktywnia 2008"

"Stołek" Gazeta Stołeczna 2008, for the title of Polish Woman of the Year 2007 Gazeta Wyborcza and Women Glamor 2008, prizes "3 X She portal, Onaonaona.com". Nominated twice for the title of Warszawianka Roku - Warsaw Woman of the Year (2018, 2021).

The Ambassadeur of The LGBT+ Diamonds Award. 

One of the most influent women by The Forbes Women Magazine in 2020. 

 

Academic activity

She made her PhD in Institute Of Polish Culture at the Warsaw University about everyday life in Warsaw in the middle fifties 20th century.

She graduate of the Institute of Polish Culture with a specialization in culture animation, Gender Studies at the Institute of Applied Social Sciences of the University of Warsaw and and Polish-Jewish Studies IBL PAN.

She lectures at the University of Warsaw and SWPS in Warsaw. Guest lectures and participation in conferences: Bard University in Jerusalem, Institute of Philosophy and Sociology of the Polish Academy of Sciences, University of Gdańsk, University of Gdańsk, University of Bialystok, University of Silesia, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, University of them. Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań, the Jagiellonian University, the University of Lodz, as well as the Children's University and the University of the Third Age in Warsaw.

Her texts and research have appeared in more than twenty collective books and anthologies.

Scientific interests: everyday anthropology, queer studies, literature of the twentieth century, history of emancipation movements, city and gender.

ORCID: 0000-0003-0108-3189

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Punk singer

Sylwia Chutnik was a punk singer in feminist band called Zimny Maj/ Cold May. She also wrote texts. 

In January 2021 they released their first record "Anomaly" (DIY Koło Distro) 

Currently, she is involved in the electro-punk band Oddech Szczura.

You can also hear the band here.

 

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