ARTISTS
Katarzyna Kozyra: A Dream of Linnaeu鈥檚 Daughter
The show features two photographic series presented alongside the artist鈥檚 latest video work, from which the exhibition title originates. A Dream of Linnaeus鈥� Daughter was shot in Uppsala, in the gardens of Carl Linnaeus, famous Swedish botanist living in the 18th century who invented the classification system of organisms and the theory of sexual reproduction of plants, whose nomenclature derived from human sexual anatomy sparked universal outrage at the time.
In her work, Kozyra acts as Elisabeth Christina von Linn茅, one of Linnaeus鈥� five daughters, an exceptionally talented figure forgotten by history, who could never take up studies, but still followed the steps of her father and became a botanist. In Kozyra鈥檚 interpretation, Elisabeth conducts a choir singing Ludwig van Beethoven鈥檚 famous Ode to Joy but... with the voices of such animals as a dog, donkey, cow, horse, goat and monkey. The creatures moo and squeal the anthem of the European Union while standing on typical pallets that symbolise Noah鈥檚 Ark. What an irony of fate: in Kozyra鈥檚 piece the daughter of the founder of an organism classification system based on difference builds a new world order that levels all differences, deeming all creatures equal.
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The show features two photographic series presented alongside the artist鈥檚 latest video work, from which the exhibition title originates. A Dream of Linnaeus鈥� Daughter was shot in Uppsala, in the gardens of Carl Linnaeus, famous Swedish botanist living in the 18th century who invented the classification system of organisms and the theory of sexual reproduction of plants, whose nomenclature derived from human sexual anatomy sparked universal outrage at the time.
In her work, Kozyra acts as Elisabeth Christina von Linn茅, one of Linnaeus鈥� five daughters, an exceptionally talented figure forgotten by history, who could never take up studies, but still followed the steps of her father and became a botanist. In Kozyra鈥檚 interpretation, Elisabeth conducts a choir singing Ludwig van Beethoven鈥檚 famous Ode to Joy but... with the voices of such animals as a dog, donkey, cow, horse, goat and monkey. The creatures moo and squeal the anthem of the European Union while standing on typical pallets that symbolise Noah鈥檚 Ark. What an irony of fate: in Kozyra鈥檚 piece the daughter of the founder of an organism classification system based on difference builds a new world order that levels all differences, deeming all creatures equal.
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