Dunst is a

queer ''Queer'' is an umbrella term for people who are not heterosexual or cisgender. Originally meaning or , ''queer'' came to be used pejoratively against those with same-sex desires or relationships in the late 19th century. Beginning in the lat ...

performance art and

activist Activism (or Advocacy) consists of efforts to promote, impede, direct or intervene in social, political, economic or environmental reform with the desire to make changes in society toward a perceived greater good. Forms of activism range fro ...

group in Copenhagen, Denmark. The group began in 2001 as an informal network, but since 2004 it formally works as an association. Among its projects are art shows, dinner nights, performances, film nights, parties and political manifestations, as well as TV and radio shows. The name means '' odour'' or ''reek'' in Danish.

Activities

During 2003, Dunst handled the Gay House at Christiania. Events and parties in the revived Gay House were popular among Copenhagen's gays, but Dunst allegedly received complaints and threats from Christiania residents and subsequently moved out of Christiania. During 2003 Dunst broadcast six episodes of its own TV show on Kanal København, a local Copenhagen television network. The network, however, declined to air an episode showing one artist eating excrement and subsequently banned Dunst from its facilities. Dunst currently broadcasts a weekly radio show on the local cable network. Dunst has made events in neighbouring countries and has gained some international attention, notably in Berlin.

Style and context

Dunst is known for its bizarre and ironic drag queen personalities (including such names as ''Ramona Macho, Miss Fish, Puta'' and ''Tove Hansen'') and music performers such as the band Nuclear Family. Having decidedly anti- establishment aims, the group has a humorous approach with a

drag Drag or The Drag may refer to: Places * Drag, Norway, a village in Tysfjord municipality, Nordland, Norway * ''Drág'', the Hungarian name for Dragu Commune in Sălaj County, Romania * Drag (Austin, Texas), the portion of Guadalupe Street adj ...

- punk flavour. Public appearances have been referred in several mainstream media which would otherwise often ignore gay events. The attitude of Dunst appears more sarcastic and less militant than radical

queer punk Queercore (or homocore) is a cultural/social movement that began in the mid-1980s as an offshoot of the punk subculture and a music genre that comes from punk rock. It is distinguished by its discontent with society in general, and specifical ...

formations in other countries. It could be claimed that Dunst combines a

postmodern Postmodernism is an intellectual stance or mode of discourseNuyen, A.T., 1992. The Role of Rhetorical Devices in Postmodernist Discourse. Philosophy & Rhetoric, pp.183–194. characterized by skepticism toward the " grand narratives" of moderni ...

appearance with a Danish tradition of humorous political

activism Activism (or Advocacy) consists of efforts to promote, impede, direct or intervene in Social change, social, Political campaign, political, economic or Natural environment, environmental reform with the desire to make Social change, changes i ...

. During the 1970s and 1980s, the theatre group Solvognen (''Sun Chariot,'' linked with Christiania), singers Troels Trier and Rebecca Brüel, and the squatter performance network Kulørte Klat ''("Coloured Blob")'' made imaginative and ironic performances, as well as

feminist Feminism is a range of socio-political movements and ideologies that aim to define and establish the political, economic, personal, and social equality of the sexes. Feminism incorporates the position that society prioritizes the male po ...

groups of ''rødstrømper'' (literally " Redstockings").

Manifesto

The Dunst website proclaims its "Manifesto" as follows:The Dunst Manifesto ~ Dunst.dk
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1. dunst is for all the cute ones. 2. dunst is the culture bearing layer of our gender political confusement. 3. dunst has provocation as a work tool and not as a goal in itself. 4. dunst makes contrasts strong. 5. dunst is for all who in a self performance will go beyond their own modesty. 6. dunst is the low life that others won't have an opinion about. 7. dunst is the sanctuary for those who come from a male or female
chauvinist Chauvinism is the unreasonable belief in the superiority or dominance of one's own group or people, who are seen as strong and virtuous, while others are considered weak, unworthy, or inferior. It can be described as a form of extreme patriotis ...
upbringing. 8. dunst crosses the gender specific habits and limits you keep in your everyday life. 9. dunst is for those who think they and others should be culturally carpet bombed. 10. dunst is always in change.

References

{{reflist

External links

Dunst website
LGBT organizations in Denmark Culture jamming Performance artist collectives Political activism Queercore DIY culture Queer organizations