An Evening of Performance and Punk Activism

Experience an intense night at CC10, beginning with Miriam Kongstad’s HARD PLAY – a performance exploring childhood games, social norms, and identity through choreography and physical storytelling. The evening culminates with Pussy Riot and Nadya Tolokonnikova, who bring uncompromising art, music, and political resistance to Copenhagen Contemporary with their signature punk energy. Expect a night of intensity, presence, and artistic provocation – an experience you won’t soon forget.

Pussy Riot

Experience Nadya Tolokonnikova, founding member of the Russian punk and activist collective Pussy Riot, in an intense performance that combines music, art, and political resistance. Known for challenging oppressive systems through feminist punk and performative activism, Nadya brings Pussy Riot’s characteristic energy to Copenhagen Contemporary in celebration of CC10.

The Russian Ministry of Justice officially labeled Pussy Riot as an extremist organization on 15 December 2025. We know for a fact the experience at CC10 will be extreme – in intensity, presence, and artistic necessity.

Miriam Kongstad: HARD PLAY (2024, 45 min)

Hard Play is a choreographic analysis of children’s games, exploring how we are trained to perform (gender) identities and social norms from an early age. The piece is conceived as a duet, blending the performer’s physical movements with a dynamic live soundscape created by musician Heva Vaupel. The focal point of the choreography is a 1,5-meter braid attached to the performer’s hair, symbolically morphing into various objects commonly associated with children’s games such as a princess’s hair, a dog leash, a lasso, a skipping rope, and a whip. Each transformation of the braid invites the audience to journey through a spectrum of emotions and scenarios—ranging from joy and fantasy to elements of horror. Through these transformations, Hard Play not only showcases the innocence and creativity inherent in children’s games but also examines the underlying social constructs these activities perpetuate. The performance’s innovative use of repetition in both music and movement highlights the persistent and often unnoticed ways in which these early experiences influence our adult lives.