Four Scenes From a Harsh Life
Artist: Ron Athey
Year: 1994
Date of Action:
Region: North America
Subject: Political/Economic/Social Opinion, Sexual/Gender Orientation
Medium:
Confronting Bodies:
Description of Artwork: In the performance art piece, Ron Athey, an H.I.V. positive gay man practices sadomasochristic rituals. He carves patterns into the back of another performer, Darryl Carlton. He then blots the incisions on Carlton's back with paper towels and are then put onto clothes lines which are suspended over the audience. He creates his own religion out of the rituals and symbols of being H.I.V. positive.
The Incident: Audiences were extremely disturbed by this piece of performance art for a number of reasons. It's content was undeniably provocative, but reports that audience members who attended the performance were exposed to H.I.V. positive blood were extremely frightening to the public.
Results of Incident: Other than fierce public criticism, Ron Athey was mostly able to freely perform. Although the National Endowment for the Arts contributed a mere $150 to the performance, months after Athey's show, their budget was cut by 2 percent and new rules and regulations were implemented regarding who is allowed to apply and acquire government funding for art works.
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