Her research proves that even under the watchful eye of religious authorities, marginalized communities will always find innovative, communal ways to share knowledge, express their desires, and claim a space of their own. As gender history continues to evolve, Makowska’s meticulous archival recovery serves as an essential blueprint for discovering voices once thought to be lost to time.
That way, I can either help summarize or support that specific, verifiable material.
Furthermore, her refusal to participate in traditional modeling agencies has left her outside the safety net of industry standards. She negotiates her own rates, manages her own releases, and shoulders the full burden of her brand. While this grants freedom, it also leaves her vulnerable to burnout and exploitation from freelance photographers.
. She recently completed her PhD at Queen's University in Kingston, Canada, with a dissertation titled naomi makowska
Naomi Makowska is a historian of early modern Italy specializing in gender, religion, and the production of knowledge . She is currently the Website Administrator for the Society for the Study of Early Modern Women and Gender (SSEMWG) . Academic Background
As a rising scholar in the field of early modern history, Dr. Naomi Makowska represents a modern wave of historians using microhistory and archival grit to tell stories that were meant to remain hidden. Her ongoing work promises to yield further publications, workshops, and courses that deepen public and academic appreciation for the complex lives of early modern European women.
As an instructor at Queen's University, Makowska designed and taught specialized upper-year undergraduate courses, such as Topics in History: Women in Early Modern Italy, 1500–1700 . The curriculum introduced students to the realities of historical figures ranging from nuns and noblewomen to magical practitioners and sex workers. Her research proves that even under the watchful
Her look is often described as "corporate goth meets art gallery curator." It is dark, but not costumey; sensual, but not vulgar.
Born in Kraków, Poland, and later based between Berlin and Reykjavík, Makowska’s artistic voice is deeply rooted in the Nordic and Eastern European aesthetics of melancholy and resilience. She began her career as a documentary photographer, but soon grew disillusioned with the medium’s claim to "truth." Her breakthrough series, The Unremembered Hour (2018), marked a turning point: soft-focus images of empty rooms, fog-shrouded coastlines, and hands holding invisible objects. The series rejected sharpness in favor of grain and deliberate blur, forcing the viewer to fill in the narrative gaps with their own subconscious.
Her work aligns with and expands upon foundational scholarship in the field: Historian / Scholar Focus Area Key Themes Early Modern Modena, Italy Legacy and Growth
For centuries, the definitive historical narrative of early modern Europe was written through a top-down lens. This traditional approach prioritized the edicts of kings, the decrees of popes, and the formal proceedings of institutional courts. Under this framework, marginalized populations—particularly non-elite women—frequently appeared as passive historical subjects or as tragic, isolated victims of institutional violence.
If you are interested, I can also look for her specific publications or future conference presentations.
She holds both a Master of Arts (MA) and a Bachelor of Arts (BA) in History from the University of Toronto .
: She champions the idea that understanding the "why" behind historical artifacts can help us better understand the "why" behind human behavior today, whether in professional settings or personal life. Legacy and Growth