A Dream of Linnaeus' Daughter

A Dream of Linnaeus' Daughter, 2018

07:04 min

A Dream of Linnaeus’ 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 Linné, one of Linnaeus’ 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’s interpretation, Elisabeth conducts a choir singing Ludwig van Beethoven’s 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’s Ark. What an irony of fate: in Kozyra’s 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.

Summertale

Summertale, 2008

19:56 min

“Summertale” is the final piece in the series In Art Dreams Come True. It brings the three protagonists together to enact a final fantasy and to abstractly but assuredly tie together the series’ concurrent themes. The scene is set within a fantastical garden. During their garden work, a group of female dwarves encounter three enormous mushrooms out of which pop Gloria Viagra, the Maestro and Kozyra herself. Although initially the dwarfettes receive the three gracefully, they gradually become distrustful of the motley trio, eventually attempt to poison the Maestro, and finally brutally murder both the Maestro and Gloria, warning Kozyra, “…They are men. They are evil.”

Lou Salome in Roma, Teatro di Cane

Lou Salome in Roma, Teatro di Cane , 2005

5:22 min

A photo of the artists’ friend and femme fatale Lou Salome driving a buggy drawn by Nietzsche and Ree inspired Kozyra to create a video performance. As rendered by Kozyra actors masked as a dogs strongly resembling the philosopher Nietzsche and poet Rilke (another of Lou’s acquaintances) are subject to animal training.Kozyra devised this piece while she was working on the project In Art Dreams Come True. Here, she is dominatrix who exercises complete control over her man-dog.

The Winter's Tale

The Winter's Tale, 2005

11:42 min

Kozyra transforms herself into a sort of Snow White and lives in a forest accompanied by dwarves. The film combines and blends several myths and stories as well as different movie styles. For the first time, Gloria Viagra and the Maestro appear in a role of equal importance, aspiring the body and soul of their student.

Diva Reincarnation

Diva Reincarnation , 2005

8:05 min

While the public watches the performance, a slideshow portrays an Opera diva from the pre-war times, caged like a lion. The image slowly fades and simultaneously Kozyra reaches the stage, also in a cage, characterized as a fat naked woman. The artist does a parodie of the operistic Diva, often squeezing into tight clothes trying to resemble younger women. But the singer appears as a ghost, her voice comes from inside the body of latex, as if coming from beyond the grave. She sings the Aria of Olympia von Offenbach `The Tale of Hoffman´.

A quarter of an hour

A quarter of an hour, 2004

12:43 min

The performance assumes the shape of a private meeting between Kozyra and the Maestro on stage, allowing the audience to take an active part being able to witness this meeting throught three short films in different spaces.

Cheerleader

Cheerleader, 2006

4:30 min

In this video, Kozyra plays the role not of an opera singer but that of a pop-star in a music-video, following the song `What You Waiting For?´, by Gwen Stefani. The scenario is set on a male dressing room, using the classical clichets of femininity and masculinity.

, 2021

13:42 min