Agnes' confrontational presence shifts between extremities and deconstructs the boundaries between the performer and the audience. Her performances are simultaneously masochistic and submissive, painful and pleasurable, brutal and emotional – the chained body and mouth restraints, fear and vulnerability gradually get replaced with the feeling of empowerment, anger and hedonistic pleasure – becoming a call for self empowerment and a criticism of despotism, hierarchy, inequality and any pathological use of power.
Alongside Alexander Johnston, she is one half of noise duo NAKED, who engage with industrial, experimental and extreme forms of electronic music to create socio-political confrontations and empowering anthems in the face of systematic oppression. They have recently released Total Power Exchange EP (Halcyon Veil), premiered two new music videos and an alternative national anthem commission for DAZED, which followed the release of their debut album Zone (LuckyMe Records) and a collaboration with Mykki Blanco. NAKED’s live performance is an integral part of Gryczkowska’s practice – it is raw, visceral and primordial. The duo are SHAPE platform artists for 2018, and have recently performed at Unsound Festival; CTM Festival; SXSW; RBMA; City Hall in London for the Serpentine Galleries; Cafe OTO and have just finished their first Asia tour, and will undertake a residency at MONOM 4D Sound in Berlin later this year.
Agnes’ practice extends to research in cognitive neuroscience, exploring the subject of intensity, ritual and consciousness - looking into the potency of live art over other forms of virtual, techno-somatic experiences. She is currently undertaking research towards her PhD in sound and neuroscience, developing a durational performance piece, which is due to be premiered later this year.
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