Two hysterical women, disturb the surreal

This exhibition brings together work by Wiktoria Przybylska, a level 2 fine art student at the University of Leeds, and Holly L Tomlinson, a fine art student from Leeds Arts University.

In 2024, many artists across Yorkshire celebrated 100 years since the surrealist manifesto was written. This led to both artists choosing to explore surrealism through a woman's perspective.

After meeting during a conference on surrealism at The Hepworth Wakefield in 2025, Wiktoria and Holly decided to pay homage to the 100th anniversary of the first surrealist exhibition.

As a collective, they are pushing the boundaries of the misogynistic manifesto by inheriting its anti-rationalist attitudes in favour of the superior reality of the omnipotence of dreams and psychic automation.

The exhibition seeks to re-examine surrealism through a contemporary, feminine lens.

"We become the hysterical muse the surrealists paint."

Artists

Wiktoria Przybylska
Holly L Tomlinson

Venue

North Art Gallery
Northlight Arts Centre
31 Potternewton Lane
Chapel Allerton
Leeds LS7 3LW

Opening times

Monday to Thursday, 11am to 6pm
Friday, 11am to 4pm
Weekends closed

Exhibition poster for Two hysterical women, disturb the surreal at North Art Gallery Leeds, 2025.

More information

“Two hysterical women, disturb the surreal” is one of a number of student exhibitions taking place across Leeds this April and May, as part of our Fine Art Level 2 Festival of Art 2025.

See the full Festival of Art 2025 exhibition programme.

Image

Holly L Tomlinson, Seabreeze, 2024 (detail). Oil on wood.