Rebellion or Individualism?

Are they taking it too far? Where will it stop?

2006-10-22T23:26:13+02:00

Plastic surgery, tattoos and body piercing = fake and attention seeking!! It's slightly unfair to stereotype these people when they are harming nobody. As a person who has a tattoo and piercings myself I know it's not for attention as some may suggest - I had these things done to my body because I wanted them - I did it for myself!!

I don’t look like this…

Or like this…

To some people when you mention piercings that is the image they get!

But when artists like Franko B, Ron Athey or Orlan begin using these things as an artistic performance and cause uproar- we end up grouped with them!
I posted short profiles of the three artists to give you all a little background on them and what they do!

However, I can't help wondering if something that was once just a decoration in your ear and is now being used for drama and peoples pleasure on stage is as far as it will go?

Look at Franko B that man is mad - I appreciate different forms of art, in fact I like seeing something new and original but the guy is using his own blood and shaking it around the stage! In a different light I suppose it’s not as dangerous as Ron who is HIV positive, and finds it’s expressive to pierce himself and self harm in front of a live audience! And Orlan well she is in a league of her own – some may say she is exploiting a cause which could be used to repair those who actually need plastic surgery, hence the cheek implants on her forehead! Some poor human being may be suffering from a car accident whilst Orlan is having their corrective surgery in a mickey take on her head!!!

These two pictures below of the babies – one tattooed the other pierced, obviously not for real but is this where things are going after Ron and Franko?

We are constantly pushing the boundaries on anything and everything to see how far we can get them therefore it may be beyond imagination as to the exact lengths! So far sometimes that it results in such things being banned from public consumption – the clip below is an example of a banned Pepsi commercial, ironically it is linked to excessive body piercing!!

Be sure to watch out for the appropriate slogan – “Generation Next” Are they implying that is what the next generation will look like and act like?

I can't understand why this advertisement was banned yet works of Ron Athey etc are still deemed suitable!!!

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Franko B

2006-10-17T19:58:30+02:00

Franko B is an internationally acclaimed artist, whose work focuses on the visceral. He uses his own blood as a medium.

He makes his body into a canvas in an attempt to portray 'the pain, the love, the hate, the loss, the power and the fears of the human condition'.

Franko B is an Artsadmin associated artist.

More recently Franko B has decided to discontinue bleeding in performance, and is pursuing other challenging creative strategies, including painting.

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Orlan

2006-10-15T18:03:28+02:00

Orlan is a performance artist who uses her own body and the procedures of plastic surgery to make "carnal art". She is transforming her face, but her aim is not to attain a commonly held standard of beauty. Orlan is the only artist working so radically with her own body, asking questions about the status of the body in society.
Since May 1990 Orlan has undergone a series of plastic surgical operations to transform herself into a new being, modelled on Venus, Diana, Europa, Psyche and Mona Lisa.

These operations were live artist performances where she would dress up the theatre like an arena - wearing designer clothing! Orlan would only be under general anaesthetic for the surgery!!

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Ron Athey

2006-10-15T17:34:37+02:00

Ron Athey - An American artist associated with body art and with extreme performance art.
In his performances he uses his body to explore controversial subject matters such as the relationship between desire, sexuality, and self-mutilation. Much of his work uses the dynamics of S&M in order to confront pre-conceived ideas about masculinity and the body.

Athey's work is informed by his Pentecostal background and frequently explores religious subjects - basing a lot of his work through the influence of St Sebastian.

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