Lecture by Maria Kravchuk: “The Story of an Emotion: Where Shame Comes From and How It Defines the Boundaries of the Permissible”

As part of the public programme accompanying the exhibition Without Asking Permission, on Thursday, August 26 at 6:30 PM, we invite you to a lecture “The Story of an Emotion: Where Shame Comes From and How It Defines the Boundaries of the Permissible” by Maria Kravchuk.

The PinchukArtCentre Research Platform exhibition Without Asking Permission brings together works by Ukrainian artists created between 2004 and 2014, in which the body becomes a means of self-determination and resistance. By challenging established ideas of normality, acceptability, and freedom, artists brought the body into public space, where it often became subject to judgement and control. Maria Kravchuk’s lecture explores this boundary between social norms and personal experience, examining the history and mechanisms through which shame is formed.

The lecture invites us to consider shame not only as a personal experience, but also as a psychological, social, and cultural mechanism through which society shapes our ideas of what is normal, permissible, and acceptable.

During the lecture, we will explore questions including:

• How and when does the feeling of shame develop?
• Why do we begin to see ourselves through the eyes of others, and how does this affect the way we perceive our bodies?
• How do school, family, culture, advertising, social media, religion, and gender roles shape what we consider normal and acceptable?
• How do taboos, silence, and self-censorship work — and why do we sometimes forbid ourselves from doing or saying something even when no one explicitly prohibits it?
• How does shame become a mechanism of social control, influencing our decisions, behaviour, and interactions with others?
• Can art help restore a sense of freedom to the body and rethink the boundaries of what is permissible?

The event will take place on the 3rd floor in the exhibition space.

Participation is free with prior registration. The number of places is limited.

Language of the Event: Ukrainian 

About the lecturer: Maria Kravchuk is a practicing psychologist who has conducted more than 10,000 hours of individual consultations. Her practice combines Gestalt therapy, EMDR, and schema therapy, helping people build healthy relationships and navigate life crises, shame, and inner conflicts. Maria is actively engaged in psychoeducation and runs a YouTube channel. Her lectures and public talks have reached more than 2,000 people in over eight cities across Ukraine. She is the founder of a psychological club and the author of the book Shame: A Guide to Inner Freedom.