ARoS Exhibition Explores Punk as Physical Language of Rebellion

The exhibition 'Unruly – The Body in Punk' at ARoS in Aarhus, Denmark, presents punk not merely as music or style but as a physical language of protest. Curated by Marie Arleth Skov, it draws on her three-year postdoctoral research and features over 130 works—photography, film, collage, installation, and fashion ephemera—many shown in Scandinavia for the first time. The show traces punk's emergence across London, Berlin, Copenhagen, and Aarhus in the 1970s and 1980s, focusing on how dress, gesture, and performance became acts of refusal. It opens with a quote from Vivienne Westwood (1976) and Sheila Rock's photograph of Jordan (1977). Thematic sections cover London's DIY ethos, East German underground under Stasi surveillance, and the body as a site of gender play. Curatorial choices avoid clichéd punk aesthetics, using recycled rubber curtains, black walls, and open metal racks. Standout works include Linder's 'Limiting Accessories Ltd.' (1977) and Nina Sten-Knudsen's film 'Panic Eye' (1979). The exhibition runs until 13 December 2026.