Gag

In my quest for interesting bodies doing interesting things, I came across Lee Adams. Check out Gag:

1. To choke or retch from nausea. 2. Something forced into the mouth to prevent speech. 3. A hoax or practical joke

Gag involved both real and simulated acts of self-mutilation, being at once sincere and parodic. The piece involved cutting a love heart into my forearm (literally wearing my heart on my sleeve - as the image was printed momentarily onto the shirt before disappearing as the blood soaked through the fabric)

After gagging my mouth with bandages, I then simulated stitching up my lips. At this stage the audience could not tell what was real and what was theatrical effect. The performance ended with the me stripping naked except for a pair of high heeled shoes, then walking through the audience. Almost at the point where I reached the doors, I twisted my ankle, fell, and crawled the remaining distance out onto the street

Gag was conceived for and performed at VAIN Festival of Live Art 2002

and the rest of his site. I like, a lot.