Manifesta purposely strives to keep its distance from what are often seen as the dominant centres of artistic production, instead seeking fresh and fertile terrain for the mapping of a new cultural topography.
Katarzyna Kozyra, PL
Looking for Jesus. Excerpts from the Archive, 2012–2022/2026 © Katarzyna Kozyra. Photo © Manifesta 16 Ruhr / Ivan Erofeev.
Katarzyna Kozyra is a Polish artist whose practice confronts cultural taboos and social norms. Working across sculpture, performance, video, film, and installation, she explores themes of the body, aging, death, power and identity. Since the early 1990s, her work has challenged dominant represenations and moral beliefs, often provoking public debate. Kozyra frequently adopts the role of observer or researcher, using staged situations, appropriation, and new media to question how stereotypes, and rituals shape everyday life. Her practice combines critical thought with performance, revealing the tension between individual experience and collective values