Currently signed to New York’s No Agency, artist and model Agusta Yr grew up in Miami in a ‘typically Icelandic household’. “My parents started putting me on diets and a treadmill when I was five years old,” she recalls. “They have a really traditional view of what’s beautiful and I think my work is a way to push back against that. I find that I’m attracted to things other people find grotesque or weird or off-putting, which I like to really confront them with.” 

Having studied photography, which she found “so boring”, Yr now works primarily in the digital realm, creating 3D artworks, videos, and multidisciplinary experiences that challenge beauty ideals, gender norms, and body image. 

As well as frequently collaborating with close friend and past Dazed 100 designer Sinéad O’Dwyer, the artist cites a project which saw her join forces with Nick Knight, Another Man’s Ellie Grace Cumming, and Yang Li on a unique installation for Li’s SS20 show as her proudest moment.

“Getting to see my vision across four screens, filling an entire room, while The Jesus and Mary Chain performed live in Paris was an amazing experience. I’m excited to do more work at that scale,” she confirms. Otherwise, she’s just as happy creating subversive memes that go no further than her Instagram stories: “I’m inspired by everything from the Renaissance era, to social media, to Spy Kids. I love to always find the sense of humour in my work.”

In one sentence, what is your creative manifesto?  

Agusta Yr: I try to create worlds of pure imagination, like a Hot Girl Willy Wonka. 

What issues or causes are you passionate about and why?

Agusta Yr: I want to be able to connect with people, especially young people, who feel bad about their body or even bad about their interests and show that there’s a place for them – even in this industry which can be very judgmental or tokenising for people who are outside the norm. People who don’t fit the mould shouldn’t just be a virtue signal for brands, whether it’s people who are disabled, or POC, or people who are fat. It’s about finding a way to make space for people’s humanity. 

“I try to create worlds of pure imagination, like a Hot Girl Willy Wonka”- Agusta Yr 

How has the coronavirus outbreak affected you, your work, and your community?  

Agusta Yr: I’m a relatively social person, so the lockdown has made me appreciate all my friends and close ones I’ve not seen in a while. I want to make sure I utilise my time and balance work and my social life better when this is over: I tend to sink into my work and when I have deadlines I tend to just sit at my computer and work, work, work. As far as community goes, I think we’re all realising how being around each other helps us mentally and keeps us afloat.

What creative or philanthropic project would you work on with a grant from the Dazed 100 Ideas Fund?

Agusta Yr: A talk show or web series divided into different segments covering art, culture, and fashion, all with a sense of humour and an inclusive perspective. This project isn’t really about my career, to me, it’s more about giving space for other perspectives that don’t get showcased. I want to work with a really wide-ranging group of interviewees, artists, and creators. But nothing straightforward: I’ll do interviews playing ping pong or something (even though I can’t play it at all).