Sadomedicine: Bob Flanagan's 'Visiting Hours' and last rites. The camera as catalyst: photography as a form of ritual theatre. The performance of pain

Bob Flanagan died of cystic fibrosis at the age of 43 on 4 January 1996. Few victims of the disease live beyond their thirties; Flanagan attributed his longevity to his masochistic proclivities, and turned cystic fibrosis and sadomasochism, SM, into multiple forms of art. In his installation 'V...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Performance research 1998-12, Vol.3 (3), p.32-102
Main Authors: Kauffman, L S, Lau, G, Polhemus, T
Format: Article
Language:English
Online Access:Get full text
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Summary:Bob Flanagan died of cystic fibrosis at the age of 43 on 4 January 1996. Few victims of the disease live beyond their thirties; Flanagan attributed his longevity to his masochistic proclivities, and turned cystic fibrosis and sadomasochism, SM, into multiple forms of art. In his installation 'Visiting Hours' he moved into art museums with his hospital bed, oxygen tank and other medical equipment. SM rituals are masquerades with structured role playing according to fixed rules. Intricate codes and symbolic forms of communication connect the players in their performances, and when photography comes into play, a further dimension is added. If witnessed by an 'outside' audience, physical rituals that were once purely private and intimate become public, and therefore performative. Considers the implications for performers and audience of relocating 'primitive' or 'private' rituals which involve physical pain within western traditions of 'theatre and 'art'. Three articles. (Quotes from original text)
ISSN:1352-8165