Show a Little Skin

Someone wrote me to ask if I had any notes on this article, about a Dutch artist named Joanneke Meester who fashioned a tiny pistol from her own skin. I can say for sure that I found this remark hysterical:

"If everyone made a pistol from their own skin, I think they would think twice about using a gun. I think there would be less violence in the world," she said. "But it's not that easy. Violence will always exist."

The end of the article links her to a few other contemporary artists, perhaps without realizing that all of the examples are not only British, but from a singular school of British art, the Thatcher-era Young British Artists (YBAs). Probably the most shocking aspect of skin-gun artist Meester's work is that it comes from somewhere other than the UK, and that other places in the world do this sort of thing.

Still, had that Reuters reporter been on his game, he would've mentioned the original master of mutilation, Vito Acconci.

UPDATE: If you're reading the G.p from NYC, I definitely recommend you check out the mini-retrospective of Vito Acconci's work on display at the Barbara Gladstone Gallery (until 1 May!). If you're reading from Holland... steer clear of Ms. Meester.

Posted by Kriston at April 28, 2004 1:29 PM