I am an artist and musican who writes fairy music that form unisons between heterogenous forces in society and I paint from memory to help discover the feminine-male collective unconcious
I have written and released three music records since 2016, all available on Spotify. They contain experimental-but-catchy tunes that circle around ideas of masculinity and martyrdom, community, conflict reportage, compromise and idealism, love between men, shame, loneliness, diplomacy, magic and queer intimacy. They came into being from my long standing, critically artistic engagement with the Danish Armed Forces. I am interested in using music within the context of contemporary art, to hint towards a moment after purely discoursive and deconstructive methodologies. Dissatisfied with strictly conceptual and/or relational practices, I aim towards building a regenerative praxis in which dirty, passionate bodies collides with the superiority of the intellectually academic.
To hear more about my work, here are some different ressources to check out
Peter Voss-Knude is a contemporary artist and songwriter Born 1987 in Copenhagen // peter@voss-knude.com // www.voss-knude.com // IG: pvknude
EDUCATION & POSTITIONS
2020 Board member of UKK [DK] 2018-2020 Bergen Academy of Art – MFA 2009-2012 Goldsmiths University of London BA Fine Art & Art History – passed with distinction 2011 Intern for Fiona Banner
PUBLIC COLLECTIONS
2020 – The Museum of Contemporary Art [DK]
MUSIC RECORDS (Available on Spotify, iTunes etc.)
2020 The Anti-Terror Album – PV Knude 2017 Vol. II – Peter & the Danish Defence 2016 Vol. I – Peter & the Danish Defence
SELECTED EXHIBITIONS, CONCERTS & PROJECTS
2022 Solo exhibition at Frederikshavns Kunstmuseum (To be confirmed) [DK] 2021 Public commission competition by The Ministry of Defence (In process) [DK] 2021 Public commission by University College Copenhagen [DK] 2020 Solo exhibition at Kunsthal 3.14 [NO] 2020 Solo exhibition at the Museum for Contemporary art [DK] 2020 MFA Group exhibition at KODE2 [NO] 2020 ANTI-KRIG exhibition at USF [NO] 2019 Sound installation in collab. w Gitte Sætre & Ed D’Souza for the Oslo Biennale [NO] 2019 Solo exhibition at Galerie Wedding [DE] 2018 Group exhibition at the Museum for Contemporary art [ONLINE EXHIBITION] 2018 Solo exhibition at Grimmuseum [DE] 2017 Duo exhibition with Fiona Banner at Last Tango [CHE] 2017 Concert Performance at the National Gallery [DK] 2017 Concert Performance at Code Art Fair 2017 2017 Solo exhibition at Overgaden Institute for Contemporary Art [DK] 2016 Concert performance at the National Museum of Denmark — in exhibition ‘The Distant War’ [DK] 2015 Solo exhibition & Performance at Counter Space, Zürich [CHE] 2015 Group shows with Citylink, Edinburgh [GB-SCT] 2014 Burlesque poetry performance at Husets Teater [DK] 2013 VOINA activist — Activist in 13 art actions, Copenhagen/Roskilde [DK] 2013 Carne Vale, Group Show at Flux Factory, [USA] 2012 Peter & the Metropolitan Police — Degree show at Goldsmiths University [UK] 2009 Synapse — Group show at Goldsmiths University [UK] 2008 Trembling — Group show at Arken Museum of Contemporary Art [DK] 2007 Rebellion skies — Collective show in the tunnels of Copenhagen streets [DK]
AWARDS / GRANTS / RESIDENCIES
2020 The Norwegian Arts Council — work grant 2019 The Meltzer Prize Project Grant for top grade students 2018 The Danish Art Council — For production of new works 2017 The Danish Art Council — Work Grant for Visual Art 2017 The Danish Art Council — For production of new works 2016 The Danish Art Council — working grant for New Contemporary Music
The Language of Terror is Terror Itself, The Terror of Language is Terror itself, The Terror of Terror is Language Itself– Galerie Wedding (2019) [DE] – Curated by Solvej Helweg Ovesen
The Male Version of a Sports Bra – Last Tango / Duo show with Fiona Banner (2017)[CHE] – Curated by Linda Jensen
Kunsthal 3,14Kunsthal 3,14Kunsthal 3,14Museum of Contemporary ArtMuseum of Contemporary ArtMuseum of Contemporary ArtMuseum of Contemporary ArtMuseum of Contemporary ArtMuseum of Contemporary ArtMuseum of Contemporary ArtMuseum of Contemporary ArtMuseum of Contemporary ArtGalerie WeddingGalerie WeddingGalerie WeddingGalerie WeddingGalerie WeddingGalerie WeddingGalerie WeddingGalerie WeddingGallery ImageO-OvergadenGrimmuseumLast TangoGrimmuseumGrimmuseumGrimmuseumGrimmuseumGrimmuseumGrimmuseumGrimmuseumGrimmuseumGrimmuseumGrimmuseumGrimmuseumThe National GalleryThe National GalleryThe National GalleryCode Art FairCode Art FairCode Art FairO-OvergadenO-OvergadenO-OvergadenO-OvergadenO-OvergadenO-OvergadenO-OvergadenO-OvergadenO-OvergadenO-OvergadenO-OvergadenO-OvergadenO-OvergadenO-OvergadenO-OvergadenO-OvergadenLast TangoLast TangoLast TangoLast TangoLast TangoLast TangoLast TangoLast TangoLast TangoLast TangoO-Overgaden
I have written and released three music records since 2016, all available on Spotify. They contain experimental-but-catchy tunes that circle around ideas of masculinity and martyrdom, community, conflict reportage, compromise and idealism, love between men, shame, loneliness, diplomacy, magic and queer intimacy. They came into being from my long standing, critically artistic engagement with the Danish Armed Forces. I am interested in using music within the context of contemporary art, to hint towards a moment after purely discoursive and deconstructive methodologies. Dissatisfied with strictly conceptual and/or relational practices, I aim towards building a regenerative praxis in which dirty, passionate bodies collides with the superiority of the intellectually academic.
-WRITTEN AS A RESPONSE TO THE NATIONAL TERROR EXERSICE “KRISØV17”
A RACIST NATION
written by Peter Voss-Knude
IT’S STILL NOT LIGHT AM I THE ONLY ONE WHO IS AWAKE THIS MORNING? MY THOUGHTS HAVE NOT YET BEEN INTOXICATED I’M SITTING BY THE TYPEWRITER ‘CUS I’VE SEEN HOW THE WORLD WORKS YOU SEE ALL THE DOTS ARE CONNECTED HOW INFORMATION IS SPEAD HOW FEAR IS BUILD HOW EXPERIENCE IS SUBLIME AND IN NOT TOO LONG I WILL FEEL RESPONSIBLE FOR CONTACTING THE PEOPLE WHO CONTROL THE SPREAD OF STEREOTYPES WHO CONTROL THE SPREAD OF HATE I FEEL RESPONSIBLE FOR STUDYING MORE READING MORE AND UNDERSTANDING MORE
[clairvoyant]
The articles reinforce “The good and the bad”, “The victim and the perpetrator”. These stories that we see in Hollywood movies and how they set people up in opposition. “The light and the dark”. Are these binaries good?
[singer] ARH!
OUR BEATING HEARTS THATS TRUTH IT’S OVERWHELMING YOU MY SUSPECION IS HERE BY PROVED A RACIST NATION GREW
I WOULDN’T SING IT TO YOU IF IT WASN’T COMPLETELY TRUE
NASTY FRUIT (WAKE YOU UP)
written by Peter Voss-Knude & Angel Wei Bernild
EI – KI – UHM – OOLA
I DON’T WANT TO WAKE YOU UP WITHOUT A PIECE OF FRUIT IN YOUR MOUTH HONEY
WHAT KIND OF GUILT CAN WE BE AGREEING ON WHEN I WANT TO SHAKE YOU UP MAKE EM LOOSEN THE GRIP REAL GOOD TO ACKNOWLEDGE,
TO FIGHT TO CHANGE IT ALL THE EMARESSING POLITICS THAT OUR NATION IS A SYMPTOM OF
AND WHEN YOU TELL ME THAT THIS RACIST STORY IS NOT IMPORTANT TO SEE ALL I CAN THINK OF IS HOW DO I ENGAGE WITH THIS TOTAL APATHY ALL I CAN THINK OF IS HOW DO I ENGAGE WITH THIS TOTAL APATHY I DONT WANT TO WAKE YOU UP I DONT WANT TO WAKE YOU UP
I DONT WANT TO WAKE YOU UP WITHOUT A PIECE OF FRUIT IN YOUR MOUTH HONEY
WOUND OF CINEMA [Feat. Angel Wei]
written by Peter Voss-Knude & Angel Wei Bernild
[speaker]
The vast majority of people around the world have never lived through war. While some have witnessed its horrors, few have actually participated in combat. Most of our ideas about war come from watching movies, above all, American movies. Hollywood has never stopped filming visions of war in all its possible forms and scales. Past wars, present wars and future wars.
[singer]
BEND YOUR BODY FORM A CHAIR FOR THE DEAD INNOCENT FEEL THE WEIGHT OF THE DEAD CHILDREN THE SCHOOL TEACHERS WE KILLED WITH DRONES FEEL THE WEIGHT OF THE DEAD MOTHERS THE STUDENTS WE KILLED WITH DRONES
GLIDING OVER IN ARIAL SHOTS AS PERSPECTIVES ARE LOST THIS IMAGE YOU SEE ITS WARFARE TECHNOLOGY ITS NOT THE FULL PICTURE THIS CAMERA KILLS PEOPLE THIS IS THE CULTURE-MILITARY INDUSTRY
WATCHING OVER SCAR TISSUES FORM WITH EACH ANNONOMOUS STRIKE THIS IS THE WOUND OF CINEMA VIOLENCE PORTRAIED IN ALL GLORY EIGHT THOUSAND REMOTE DEATHS 253 DEAD CHILDREN
[angel screaming]
BEND YOUR BODY FORM A CHAIR FOR THE DEAD INNOCENT […]
[singer]
UNTRIALED BOMB BEHEADING IN RAMSTEIN ON SATTELITE CONNECTION EUROPEAN SILENT ACCEPTANCE SEX AND THE CITY IN A NUCLEAR BASE
ON THE SAME SIGNAL AS THE EXECUTIONERS MONITOR
A REBEL AND A STATE AGENCY
written by Peter Voss-Knude & Angel Wei Bernild
[singer]
I DONT HAVE A MEMORY I DONT HAVE A MEMORY UHH OF SOMTHING THAT FEELS THIS WAY ANYTHIG THATS FEELS THIS WAY
A NATION AND ITS ENEMY CRAWL UP IN DESIRE:
IMAGINE WATER DRIPPING DOWN MY CHIN IT FALLS DOWN TO MY CHEST UH FALLS DOWN LIKE MY CHEST IN THE DARK WITH ME
YOURE IN THE DARK WITH ME AND WE ARE A REBEL AND A STATE AGENCY IN THE DARK WITH ME
YOU CRAWL UP TO ME SO YOU HAVE SOMETHING TO WRITE FROM IN YOUR POETRY IN YOUR CRIME NOVELS BUT REMEMBER THIS THIS NIGHT IT WILL ONLY HAPPEN ONCE ONLY HAPPEN ONCE IN THE DARK WITH ME IN THE DARK WITH ME CUS WE ARE A REBEL AND A STATE AGENCY
[cell analyst #1]
My brain is wired, so when I go on the internet and the headline is suddenly red instead of black I don’t know what my power to not click it is, I really feel that I can’t. That I can’t stop myself and I feel like a bad person if I don’t orientate myself in this reality. But it fucks up what I think about the world.
ALCHEMIST EXPRESSION
written by Peter Voss-Knude
ARE WE THINKING THE SAME DARKENED WITH GUILT ARE WE THE SAME WAS THIS THE LIMIT OF WHAT WE COULD SHARE TELL ME
I WAS NOT THERE
WONT YOU SIT WITH ME NOW? HEY
WHEN MY WORLD IS EMPTY I FILL IT WITH THE STORIES OF MY HEART WITH YOU AND TOGHETHER WE FORM A UNISON SO FRESH SO NEW AND STRONG IN THE NATIONAL GALLERY AN ALCHEMY EXPRESSION BEWTEEN AN AGENCY AND WOMEN IN WAR
WONT YOU SIT WITH ME NOW?
EVENING PRAYER
written by Peter Voss-Knude & Angel Wei Bernild
CAN YOU HEAR CAN YOU HEAR IT
THERES AN EVENING PRAYER FLYING ACROSS MY ROOM AT NIGHT VIBRATING SO DEEPLY THAT ONLY ANIMALS CAN HEAR THEY PREPARE YOU FOR A DEEP SLEEP KISSES YOU GOODNIGHT IN AN IMAGINATION OF CRIES
THERES AN EVENING PRAYER OF FREIGHT AND ALARM ITS PROPAGANDA IT NOT ONLY PREPARES
BUT MAKES YOU EXPECT BEING HARMED MY UNGODLY HEART REPLACED POETRY WITH THE ANXIETY OF A BROKEN HEART
ITS AN EVENING PRAYER SUNK IN MY ATHEIST COUNTRY WHEN RELIGION WAS FORGOTTEN IT JUST TURNED INTO SOMETHING ELSE AS A DESTRUCTIVE VOICE
AN EVENING PRAYER
A SIREN DID YOU HEAR? ITS FEAR IT IS FEAR IT IS FEAR
THE MORE
Written by Peter Voss-Knude & Angel Wei Bernild
[singer]
THE MORE YOU WRITE ABOUT IT THE MORE I FEAR THE MORE FEARFULL I WILL BE
[choir]
MORE MORE MORE YOU SHARE MORE, MORE AND MORE
[singer]
STRUCTURAL INSTINCTS ARE COVERED IN HIS GORE AS A STICKY, UNRENEWABLE VIOLENCE OF HIS DANCEFLOOR AS A YOUNG WESTERNER WHAT AM I RESPONSIBLE FOR?
THIS MAINSTREAM WHITE FOLKLORE ITS REALLY NOT WORTH FIGHTING FOR THIS MAINSTREAM WHITE FOLKLORE NOT WORTH FIGHTING FOR
SO I’M ASKING YOU TO SWIPE LEFT TONIGHT
[choirl
MORE, MORE, MORE YOU SHARE MORE, OF MORE AND MORE
AND MORE
I AM BEGGING YOU
written by Peter Voss-Knude & Angel Wei Bernild
[cell analyst #2]
There is not a lot of self reflection in the article. If you look at the social media, then yes – to take down the video, but this is a newspaper and nothing about their own voice is questioned. I don’t know… They [newspapers red.] learned a lot after 9/11 to not use every material because they really created a parallel event and this made it so strong for the whole world. This parallel event, everyone was in front of their television! Streets were empty because everyone was looking at these pictures and the tv. This selfreflection, that they are part of it, they are accomplices, they are producers, directors of all this…
[cell analyst #3]
Isn’t it one of the goals of the terrorist to get a lot of attention and create chaos?
[clairvoyant]
Especially because he filmed the whole thing, then one of his intentions was to show everyone what he was doing]
[singer]
IM TRYING TO HOLD YOU IN MY DESPERATE HEART IM BEGGING YOU IM BEGGING YOU
IM BEGGING YOU TO REWRITE THIS SHITTY STORY ALL OF IT
IM TRYING TO HOLD YOU IN MY LONELY HEART IM BEGGING YOU IM BEGGING YOU
IM BEGGING YOU TO REWRITE THIS SHITTY STORY ALL OF IT
[tribe] … it happens through rose quartz, I said, rose quartz
THINK OF ME AS A LADY
written by Peter Voss-Knude
THINK OF ME AS A LADY IN A DARK NIGHT CONSIDER ME A TERRORIST WITH NO ONE ELSE IN YOUR MIND BLAME ME WITH REASON
IM A CHOIR FOR PEACE DID THIS COME FOR FREE
I WANT PEACE CAN, CAN I WANT PEACE I WANT PEACE JUST TO BE
WHO I AM I THEN WHO I AM I THEN
I SEE YOU THROUGH A DIRTY LENS WE HAVE ALREADY LOST PRESENT TENSE DOES THIS DEATH SET YOU FREE
CUS I WANT CAN I WANT PEACE CAN I WANT PEACE JUST TO BE
[cell analyst #4]
As you said earlier, “we all want to know”, I mean, I don’t think we can delete that in articles we want to know what happened in the video, if there was a video. We wanna know who he was, we want to know his background
[cell analyst #2] …What do you want to know? [cell analyst #4] Sorry? [cell analyst #2] What do you want to know?
WHO IS YOUR CRIMINAL
written by Peter Voss-Knude & Angel Wei Bernild
RESPECT WHAT IS HOLY FOR ALL THE OTHERS CRIMINALIZE MY WHITE SKIN THE TAX EVATORS
GOOGLE, AMAZON LOCK THEM UP SHARING IS NOT CARING THIS IS A LIE WEVE BEEN FED SO LET ME TELL YOU SOMETHING VERY REAL INSTEAD OFFLINE IS GOD
RESPECT WHAT IS HOLY FOR ALL THE OTHERS OUR TEACHERS MUST RETHINK THE P-VALUE * SUSPENDING SCIENCE INTO DISBELIEF
I REFOCUS ON WHAT THREATS TO KEEP WEALTHY CASTLES FLOATING BY IMMIGRANTS ARE BLAMED FOR THIS UNJUSTICE IS IT A DECOY BUT WHY
SILENT TESLAS ARE SNEAKING BY IMAGEMAKERS WANKING IN THEIR LOLLIBYS CULTURAL INDUSTRIES THAT HOLLOW OUT ANY SOLIDARITY PLAN GIVE ME YOUR BODY FOR FREE THE EXPOSURE WILL TAKE YOU TO ANOTHER LEVEL LETS ALL FORGET WHAT RIGHTS WE SHOULD BE FIGHTING FOR
I AM NOT AFRAID OF A MINORITY THEY ARE NOT THE ONES WHO PRIVATIZE OUR STATE I AM NOT AFRAID OF MUSLIMS THEY STOOD UP FOR ME WHEN I WAS A VICTIM OF HATE I AM NOT AFRAID OF TERRORISTS BUT OF A MEDIA THAT USE THEM AS CLICKBAIR
RESPECT AND RELOCATE YOUR ETHICS ITS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY
TO NOT BASE OUR IMAGINATION ON AN ISLAMOPHOBIC AMERICAN PROPAGANDIST TVSERIES WHO IS YOUR CRIMINAL WHAT ARE THE PROPORTIONS MY NAILS LEAVE YOU A SCAR
WHO IS YOUR CRIMINAL IMPRISON THOSE RESPONSIBLE THE LYING POLITICIANS THEY ARE THE REOFFENDERS THEY ARE THE REOFFENDERS WHO IS YOUR CRIMINAL WHO IS YOUR CRIMINAL WHO IS YOUR CRIMINAL
YOU ARE VOTING FOR A FUCKING REOFFENDER
[footnote]
* more than 800 signatories call for an end to hyped claims and the dismissal of possibly crucial effects of ‘the holy grail of western sciences, “the P-value” [20.3.2019]
RIDICULED FOR ASSUMING THE KINDNESS OF A STRANGER THE SPIRITUAL GIFT OF BLIND TRUST
CUS I NEED YOUR SOLACE VISIONS TO LEAD ME THROUGH THIS BROKEN WORLD
HER SYMPATHY HER INTEGRITY HER CAPACITY YOU CANT COPY HER LOVE
HER SYMPATHY HER INTEGRITY HER CAPACITY WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN JACINDA
WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN JACINDA LEAD ME JACINDA
OH
SAFETY IS THE CHILD OF TERROR
written by Peter Voss-Knude
THIS DISASTER IS WRITTEN BY HIM ALONE AN ARROGANCE SO OPPRESIVE ON ITS OWN THE KNIFES IN HIS DRAWER ARE SHARP I COMPARE THEM THE ENEMIES IN HIS DARK
“SAFETY IS A CHILD OF TERROR”* SO WHY NOT DEMONIZE YOUR MIRROR
[door slams]
WHERE WOULD YOU GO WHERE WOULD YOU GO WHERE WOULD YOU GO
ONE DAY ILL RESIST ONE DAY ILL DANCE IT ALL AWAY
* Winston Churchill described the his new geopolitical defence strategy with characteristic vigour: ‘Safety will be the sturdy child of terror, and survival the twin brother of annihilation.’ Thus, importantly, deterrence became not only a purported strategy, but the very grounds on which governments justified nuclear weapons themselves. Every government that now possesses nuclear weapons claims that they deter attacks by their threat of catastrophic retaliation. [14.1.2019] – https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/jan/14/nuclear-deterrence-myth-lethal-david-barash
MONEYCOCK [Feat. Mija Milovic]
written by Peter Voss-Knude
AS YOU ASK ME TO TWIRL IN A CARCASS SCANNING ME FOR METAL I MURDER THEM IN SELF DEFENCE “SECURITY COMES FIRST”? ONE SPIN TO THE SOUND OF YOUR
[choir] MONEYCOCK
FROM BEHIND YOU LOOK AT ME THE REPEATED MONSTER IN THE ECONOMY OF OBVIOUS DESIRES
[spellcaster]
THE LANGUAGE OF TERROR IS TERROR ITSELF THE TERROR OF LANGUAGE IS TERROR ITSELF THE TERROR OF TERROR IS LANGUAGE ITSELF
KISS HIM [Bonustrack]
written by Peter Voss-Knude
TONIGHT IM GONNA TALK TO YOU ABOUT EVERYTHING YOU DON’T WANT TO HEAR UHH I HOPE YOU WILL UNDERSTAND MY POSITION HOPEFULLY WALK IN THE CRYSTAL MOUNTAINS WITH ME
MY DEAR WILL YOU PLEASE RETURN THE FAVOURS IVE BEEN ASKING OH SOMEONE WHO RETURN WITH THAT GENTLENESS AND ONE WHO SHARE THIS WORLD OF IMAGINATION WITH ME
CUS WHEN IT ALL COMES DOWN TO TRUTH THEY ARE MUCH STRONGER THAN ME AND YOU
SO I KISS HIM I WOULD KISS THEM LETS JUST KISS THEM