- Definition and Origins
- Body art uses human body as primary medium, emerging from Conceptual Art in 1970s
- Includes painting, casting, photography, film and video
- Can involve mutilation or pushing body to physical limits
- Notable Artists and Events
- Vienna Action Group formed in 1965 by four artists
- Marina Abramović performed "Rhythm 0" in 1974 with 72 instruments
- Sydney Body Art Ride features painted rainbow participants
- Cultural Impact
- Expanded into popular culture with tattoos, piercings and body painting
- Addresses gender and personal identity issues
- Artists like Rebecca Horn and Youri Messen-Jaschin create directed personal mythologies
- Medical Applications
- Used in medical education as low-cost anatomical learning method
- Medical students paint on volunteers to study anatomical structures
- Hands are typically chosen for painting due to patient consent