Date:         Tue, 28 Nov 95 11:17:42 EDT
From: WILSONB-AT-NPVM.NEWPALTZ.EDU
Subject:      Re: Schwarzkogler?


Rudolph Schwarzkogler was a member of the Vienna Actionists (spelling?),
a group of artists who emphasized often gory body-oriented performance
art.  He did supposedly sever his own penis (bit by bit, evidently), which
act was recorded by a photographer.  I worked at a gallery a fegw years ago
that showed the photos -- many of them were sort of artful still lifes
staged with a dead fish, and other elements, occasionally with Sch.'s penis
inserted (so to speak) in the midst, the rest of his body cut out of the
picture.  Only really a few of them involve graphic self-mutliation, but the
"artful" ones definitely insinuate the fact.

As I understand it, these performances were the sort acted out basically for
the benefit of the cameras documenting them:  there was no live audience
aside from the photograher, etc.  Ultimately, when he severed the last bit
of his penis, (he was going mad, as might be expected, anyway), he then
launched his naked, bleeding body out a window, crashing to his death.

At least that's the version I'm familiar with . . . does anybody have
different information?

-Beth Wilson


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