On Edge: Performance at the End of the Twentieth Century Book

Introduction: Leaving Terra Firma

In Extremis 1

Roped: A Saga of Art in Everyday Life: Linda Montano, Tehching Hsieh 3

Before and After Science: Stelarc 10

This is Only a Test: Chris Burden 16

A Great Wall: Marina Abramovic, Ulay 25

Underground 49

The Hot Bottom: Art and Artifice in the East Village 51

Country Clubbing: 8BC's Pig Phest 57

To Thine Own Self Be True: Ethyl Eichelberger 60

Sex Gods, Ekstatic Women: John Sex, Nina Hagen, Dancenoise 64

The Revolution That Won't Be Televised: Michael Smith, Karen Finley, Harry Kipper, et al 67

R.I.P. 8BC: The end of the never-ending talent show 70

Art Crimes: Cinema of Transgression, Outlaw Parties, et al 74

Loisada Talking Pictures: Ela Troyano 78

The Queer Frontier: Holly Hughes, Carmelita Tropicana 84

Disenchanted Evening: Donna Henes 88

Big Bang Theory: Poppo Shiraishi 92

Bad Company at the Love Club: Karen Finley, Carlo McCormick 95

Help Thou Mine Unbelief: The Church of the Little Green Man 98

Nightclubbing: The Tompkins Square Riot 101

The Triumph of Neoism: The Millionth Apartment Festival 105

Don't Make Me Over: Slaves of New York, Darius James 112

Just Revolting: Missing Foundation 115

Regenerate Art 119

Unspeakable Practices, Unnatural Acts: The Taboo Art of Karen Finley 121

The Lady Is a Dick: The Dyke Noir Theater of Holly Hughes 132

Body Beautiful: Frank Moore 138

Lydia Lunch Faces the Void 141

Learning to Love the Monster: Jon Moritsugu, Johanna Went 144

The Kipper Kids in Middle Age 148

Life is a Killer: Joe Coleman 154

Is That You?: Fiona Templeton159

Deconstructing Dixie: Laurie Carlos, Jessica Hagedorn, Robbie McCauley 162

A Crash of Symbols: Sherman Fleming, Kristine Stiles 168

Two Birds with One Stone: Dancenoise 171

A Public Cervix Announcement: Annie Sprinkle, the Smut Fest 174

Revisions of Excess: The V-Girls, Blue Man Group 177

An Artist Retreats from Rage: Rafael Montanez Ortiz 180

Beauties and Beasts: Salley May, Ms. Make-Believe, David Lynch 184

Radical Shriek: Diamanda Galas 187

Simulacra Stops Here: The Border Arts Workshop / Taller de Arte Fronterizo 191

Redicovering America: Guillermo Gomez-Pena 194

Talk Show: Robbie McCauley, Jeannie Hutchins 200

A Cinema Against the Verites: Shu Lea Cheang 206

Wired 213

Am I a Camera?: John Jesurun 215

Am I Living in a Box?: Ann Magnuson 218

The Vanguard Moves to Melrose Place Mel Chin and the GALA Committee 221

The Heart of the Web: Nina Sobell, Emily Hartzell 225

Call Her Ishmael: Laurie Anderson 230

War on Art 235

An NEA Timeline (Just the Lowlights) 237

Portrait of an Artist in the Age of AIDS: David Wojnarowicz 245

The Sexual Politics of Censorship: Targeted Artists and the Wrathful Dads 258

With Mapplethorpe in Cincinnati: "The Perfect Moment" on Trial 270

The Adventures of Andre Serrano in Pursuit of the White Supremacists 287

Gross Indecency: The NEA Four Decision 292

Fin-de-Millenium 297

The Bohemian Diaspora 299

In the Discomfort Zone: William Pope.L 312

Dancing in the Streets: Yoshiko Chuma 318

The Pain Artist: Bob Flanagan 321

The World According to Jack Smith 325

Men? Oh, Pause: Peggy Shaw 328

The Statue of Libertines: Annie Sprinkle 332

Washed in the Blood: Ron Athey 336

Stripped Down: Zhang Huan 341

The Rumble in DUMBO: David Leslie 345

Silence = Life: John Kelly 350

The End of the Edge: An Epilogue 353

Index 361