Maja Malou Lyse
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Maja Malou Lyse | |
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| Born | 1993 (age 31–32) |
| Nationality | Danish |
| Education | Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts |
| Known for | Research-based practice, sex and gender |
| Movement | Feminist discourse |
Maja Malou Lyse (Danish: mɑːjɑ mæˈluː ˈlyːsə, born 1993) is a Danish artist and public figure whose practice examines themes of sexuality, gender, and media representation.
Early life and education
Maja Malou Lyse grew up in the capital region of Denmark, Copenhagen. She studied at the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts, earning a Master of Fine Arts degree in 2022.[1]
Career
Working across performance, video, and installation, Lyse integrates satire and critical discourse to investigate cultural perceptions of sex and pleasure.[2] In 2018–2019, she hosted Sex med Maja (Sex with Maja), a television program on the Danish Broadcasting Corporation (DR) that explored issues surrounding intimacy and sexuality.[3]
Her work has been exhibited in institutions such as Copenhagen Contemporary,[4] INDEX in Stockholm,[5] Kunstmuseum Brandts in Odense,[6] ARoS in Aarhus,[7] and Kunsthal Charlottenborg in Copenhagen.[8] She has also participated in international exhibitions at venues including the Victoria & Albert Museum in London and Moderna Museet in Stockholm.[9] Moreover, she was appointed to represent Denmark in the upcoming 61st edition of the Venice Biennale, where her solo exhibition in the Danish Pavilion will open in April 2026. [10][11][12][13]
Artistic themes and projects
Lyse's work engages with feminist discourse, media critique, and the politics of representation. Describing herself as "sex-critical" rather than "sex-positive,"[14] she challenges conventional binaries and explores the aesthetics of pornography, public perceptions of the female body, and the commodification of sexuality.[15]
In the project MM, Lyse examined the legacy of Marilyn Monroe through the lens of media ownership and sexual capital. The exhibition centered on a gold-framed, signed photograph of Monroe that Lyse acquired at an auction in Los Angeles from the collection of Playboy Magazine founder Hugh Hefner, serving as a commentary on the intersection of celebrity, desire, and economic value.[16]
In 2024, Lyse presented an exhibition at Politikken’s Forhal, addressing the history of the "Side 9 girls," a longstanding feature of Extra Bladet that showcased topless models. Through this work, she engaged in public discourse on the ethics of the series, which had historically lacked age verification for its participants.[17] As part of the project, Lyse posed for Side 9, integrating her own body into the debate on representation and agency.[18]
Personal life and influence
Lyse is recognized for her engagement with hyper-feminine aesthetics[19] and self-curated spaces that juxtapose Scandinavian minimalism with erotic symbolism.[15] Her work is informed by theorists such as Michel Foucault, Gayle Rubin, and Andrea Dworkin.
Reception and impact
Her artistic practice has sparked discourse on censorship, feminism, and digital representation. In 2017, she publicly engaged with self-gynecology, a practice originating in the 1970s that involved women conducting gynecological examinations on themselves and each other. Lyse live-streamed her own cervix to prompt discussions on bodily knowledge and medical accessibility.[2] Her social media accounts have been repeatedly removed due to explicit content, yet she continues to utilize digital platforms as both an artistic medium and a subject of critique.[20]
Lyse remains an influential figure in contemporary art and public discussion, using her work to provoke dialogue on sexuality, power, and the construction of identity in the digital age.[21]
References
- ↑ "Biography & Bibliography". Nicolai Wallner. Retrieved 2025-02-25.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 "Maja Malou Lyses opgør med privatlivet:»Det seneste eksperiment, jeg har foretaget, var at livestreame min livmoderhals«". Politiken - Den levende avis (in dansk). Retrieved 2025-02-25.
- ↑ DRTV - Sex med Maja (in dansk). Retrieved 2025-02-25 – via www.dr.dk.
- ↑ "Art in a Day". copenhagencontemporary.org. 14 June 2022. Retrieved 2025-02-25.
- ↑ "BODIES AND ANTIBODIES / Index – The Swedish Contemporary Art Foundation". indexfoundation.se. Retrieved 2025-02-25.
- ↑ "Maja Malou Lyse - Revenge Body | Kunstmuseum Brandts". brandts.dk. Retrieved 2025-02-25.
- ↑ "Art & Porn". ARoS. Retrieved 2025-02-25.
- ↑ Charlottenborg, Kunsthal. "Kunsthal Charlottenborg Biennale". Kunsthal Charlottenborg (in dansk). Retrieved 2025-02-25.
- ↑ "After Babel". Moderna Museet i Stockholm. Retrieved 2025-02-25.
- ↑ "2026 Venice Biennale pavilions: your go-to list". ArtReview. March 11, 2025. Retrieved March 25, 2025.
- ↑ Maxwell Rabb (March 10, 2025). "Maja Malou Lyse will represent Denmark at the Venice Biennale". Artsy Editorial. Retrieved March 25, 2025.
- ↑ Pernille Albrethsen (February 28, 2025). "Kunst med Maja – Maja Malou Lyse repræsenterer Danmark i Venedig". Kunstkritikk. Retrieved March 25, 2025.
- ↑ Natasha Dyasi Kleinschmidt; Magnus Møller (March 25, 2025). "Intimitet til salg". Popsmart (DR). Retrieved March 25, 2025.
- ↑ "Maja Malou Lyse | English". Metal Magazine (in español). Retrieved 2025-02-25.
- ↑ 15.0 15.1 "Maja Malou Lyse har indrettet sit soveværelse med design og dildoer:»Jeg har altid iscenesat mine soveværelser på ret absurde måder«". Politiken - Den levende avis (in dansk). Retrieved 2025-02-25.
- ↑ "Maja Malou Lyse: MM - Overgaden". overgaden.org. Retrieved 2025-02-25.
- ↑ "Maja Malou Lyse: BOMBSHELL, BOOM!". JP/Politikens Hus (in dansk). Retrieved 2025-02-25.
- ↑ Ekstra Bladet (11 December 2024). "Maja, 31 år og fra Frederiksberg". Ekstra Bladet, Side 9. p. 1. Archived from the original on 2025-02-25. Retrieved 2025-02-25.
- ↑ "Selfie Stick Aerobics Is A Fun & Subtle Way To Promote Body Positivity". HuffPost. 2015-10-14. Retrieved 2025-02-25.
- ↑ "Facebook censurerer udstilling om side 9-pigen og andre danske udstillinger". Politiken - Den levende avis (in dansk). Retrieved 2025-02-25.
- ↑ Landvik, Af: Barbara Hilton
Foto: Jacqueline (2022-05-25). "28-årige Maja Malou Lyse lavede seksualundervisning på landsdækkende tv: "Nydelse er forsat en mangelvare hos kvinder"". www.alt.dk (in dansk). Retrieved 2025-02-25.
External links
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