Maja Malou Lyse’s exhibition explores the intersection of sexuality, science, and the institutions that govern the physical body. To celebrate this intervention, trauma invites a figure who famously embodied this exact collision: Ilona Staller, universally known as Cicciolina. As an italo-disco singer, former adult film actress, and the first person of her profession elected to the Italian parliament in 1987, Staller refused to separate her radical public persona from state politics. Cicciolina’s dream places Lyse's contemporary inquiry and Staller's historical precedent in direct, celebratory dialogue.
The evening unfolds within a former industrial site on the northern edge of Venice’s main island. Against this raw architectural shell, Berlin-based Studio Linné will develop a sprawling botanical scenography. Referencing Cicciolina’s iconic flower crowns, a recurring symbol of radical innocence and unapologetic femininity, the floral intervention creates an uncanny but delicate tension within the concrete space.
Cicciolina will host the evening, bridging 1980s political provocation and the contemporary avant-garde with a rare live performance of her classic italo-disco repertoire. The performance will be followed by a curated music program (to be announced), carrying the energy deep into the Venetian night.
Curated and produced by Trauma, with support from the Danish Arts Foundation.
May 6, 2026
Secret Location, Venice, Italy
To protect the intimacy of the event, the exact location will be shared privately with confirmed attendees 48 hours prior to the opening.