Travelling Exhibition: Missed Images

From 12 November to 18 December 2026, Heilbronn University of Applied Sciences will host the  "Travelling Exhibition: Missed Images" which is funded by the Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space (BMFTR) as part of the “Innovative Women in Focus” (IFiF) funding programme.

This exhibition explores the historical invisibility of women in research, science, and innovation. It visualises achievements and moments that, for various reasons, were never documented or recognised in images – often to the benefit of male colleagues who later reaped the rewards.

What makes it special: the portraits on display are AI-generated likenesses of innovative women who were absent from the historical record. Artist Gesine Born thereby creates visually what was previously missing: she reconstructs overlooked recognition through artificial intelligence. This approach not only has an emotional impact on viewers, but also raises important questions about the ethical and technical use of AI in the context of representation and history.

The travelling exhibition grows by one new "missed portrait" at each venue. Heilbronn University was also invited to search its archives for innovative female researchers or pioneers whose contributions have been forgotten or never acknowledged. This gave rise to a shared process of reflection on a culture of recognition in academia. You are invited to discover the result of this process in the form of a Heilbronn pioneer as part of the exhibition.

The Heilbronn University of Applied Sciences’ hosting of the “Travelling Exhibition: Missed Images” is accompanied by a programme of various events.

The exhibition is open to the public from 12 November to 18 December 2026 in Foyer B at Heilbronn University of Applied Sciences’ TechCampus during the campus’s opening hours. Detailed information on how to get there and opening hours can be found here.