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‘Unruly – The Body in Punk’ review: a history of punk at ARoS

Punk’s body language as protest, from fishnets to performance art.

‘Unruly – The Body in Punk’ review: a history of punk at ARoS

Punk’s body language as protest, from fishnets to performance art.

Huseyin Emanet

Huseyin Emanet

Founder of DzinerHub

‘Unruly – The Body in Punk’ review: a history of punk at ARoS

Culture

This exhibition at ARoS Aarhus reexamines punk not just as music or style but as a physical revolt, using over 130 works from photography to fashion. Curator Marie Arleth Skov traces how dress, gesture, and performance became acts of refusal across London, Berlin, Copenhagen, and Aarhus. The show opens with Vivienne Westwood’s quote and Sheila Rock’s iconic photo of Jordan, setting a tone of provocation.

Thematic sections explore DIY ethos, East German underground dissent, and gender play through latex and bondage references. Standout pieces include Linder’s lingerie masks on male bodies and Nina Sten-Knudsen’s unsettling film. The raw, industrial display avoids cliché, echoing punk’s own DIY spirit. A potent reminder of how the body remains a site of resistance today.

Further Reading