Originally commissioned by Watermans as part of Future Arts Centre's national project, Our Freedom: Then and Now, artist, Anna Jochymek invited Polish women in or connected to Hounslow to share their personal stories, reflect on their migration experiences, and take part in creating a powerful portrait of the local community.

Free.Her explores what freedom means to women today, through their own words, histories, and identities. The resulting portraits were then exhibited in two outdoor locations in 2025: Brentford Market and Bell Square and presented now as a pop-up exhibition at Gunnersbury Park Museum.

Anna Jochymek is a Polish-born, London-based artist, ethnographer, and researcher working at the intersection of visual arts, social anthropology, and public engagement. Anna Jochymek is currently a Postdoctoral Research Associate at the School of Social Sciences and Professions, Centre for Global Diversities and Inequalities at Metropolitan University London, working as an ethnographer in a pioneering interdisciplinary study funded by the Economic and Social Research Council.

Located within the historic Gunnersbury Park in West London, it is a free local history museum for Ealing & Hounslow, showcasing extensive collections on local archaeology, social history (toys, fashion, film), Rothschild family history, transport (carriages), and industrial heritage, housed in a grand mansion, offering insights into the area's rich past with regular events and exhibitions.

Future Arts Centres (FAC) is a national network of over 170 arts centres across the UK. FAC champions the role of arts centres as vital public spaces that foster creativity, community, and cultural expression. In 2023, FAC became a registered company and an Arts Council England IPSO, providing sector support and leadership. 

Our Freedom: Then and Now”, was part of a £2 million national creative programme marking the 80th anniversary of the end of the Second World War. Supported by the UK Government through Arts Council England, the Future Arts Centres and Libraries Connected initiative saw 60 arts centres and libraries across Britain present community-led projects exploring the legacy of VE Day and VJ Day. “Our Freedom: Then and Now” empowered artists, veterans and residents to explore themes of past and present freedoms through 60 creative projects, including exhibitions, performances and installations running from June to November 2025.