Opera Sextronique
Date: 1967
Region: North America
Subject: Nudity
Medium: Music
Artist: Nam June Paik
Confronting Bodies: New York City officials
Date of Action: 1967
Location: Filmmakers' Cinematheque, New York City, USA
Description of Artwork: An opera in four movements, performed by violoncellist Charlotte Moorman. The composer's instructions required Ms. Moorman to play in various states of partial and total nudity.
The Incident: The NY premiere performance was interrupted midway by the arrest of Ms. Moorman by NY police.
Results of Incident: The performance was canceled; a trial found Ms. Moorman guilty; she received a suspended sentence. The stormy press reaction to her subsequent conviction brought about the passing of a new, more liberal law relating to the freedom of artistic presentation. The trial was reenacted 10 years later at Carnegie Hall.
Source: Andrew Gurian; http://www.eai.org/title.htm?id=14359
