CinemaOSMovie · 1999 · 0h 16m

Ron Athey Is the Trojan Whore

Documentary

In this documentary Kerkhof takes the viewer into a bizarre underworld, the sub-culture of blood art and body piercing performance art. Kerkhof's camera registered a performance by the American blood artist Ron Athey which took place during the FREAK ZONE festival in Lille, France in May 1997. The camerawork is so freaky one would almost suspect it is under the influence of heroin. The film includes interviews with Athey as well as shocking live fragments wherein Athey works his face over with injection needles. The crazy, maniacal clamour of the HIV positive priest/performer gives us insights into the motives and goals of this group of masochistic performance artists. Somebody who entertains his audience by cutting and stabbing himself; is this art? Who can say? What is beyond question is that Kerkhof's masterful use of the camera and editing not only obscures the images but also the boundary between art and unbearable filth.

Directed byAryan Kaganof

Play
Status
Released
Runtime
0h 16m
Language
EN
Released
December 17, 1999

Featuring

Cast & crew

1 credited
Starring

Ron Athey

Creative team
Directed by
Aryan Kaganof
Aryan Kaganof

Keep watching

More like this

Laerte-se7.1

Laerte-se

2017 · Film

Painting With Light

Painting With Light

2025 · Film

OHO Film

OHO Film

2025 · Film

Manet: Portraying Life5.0

Manet: Portraying Life

2013 · Film

National Gallery7.3

National Gallery

2014 · Film

Pierre Bonnard : les couleurs de l'intime

Pierre Bonnard : les couleurs de l'intime

2015 · Film

Finster

Finster

2022 · Film

The Original Richard McMahan

The Original Richard McMahan

2016 · Film

Sunflowers8.0

Sunflowers

2021 · Film

Armadillo Man: The Trips of Jim Franklin

Armadillo Man: The Trips of Jim Franklin

Film

Faces Places7.6

Faces Places

2017 · Film

ADELANTE

ADELANTE

2017 · Film

Kandinsky

Kandinsky

1986 · Film

Cindy Sherman: Nobody's Here But Me9.0

Cindy Sherman: Nobody's Here But Me

1994 · Film

Joseph Cornell: Worlds in a Box

Joseph Cornell: Worlds in a Box

1991 · Film

The World of Lygia Clark

The World of Lygia Clark

1973 · Film

Bacata

Bacata

Film

Picked for you

Recommended movies

Come See Me in the Good Light7.2

Come See Me in the Good Light

2025 · Film

The Art of the Steal6.9

The Art of the Steal

2010 · Film

Looking for Richard6.8

Looking for Richard

1996 · Film

Struggle: The Life and Lost Art of Szukalski7.5

Struggle: The Life and Lost Art of Szukalski

2018 · Film

Naqoyqatsi6.2

Naqoyqatsi

2002 · Film

My Mom Jayne8.0

My Mom Jayne

2025 · Film

Deliver Us from Evil7.1

Deliver Us from Evil

2006 · Film

Heart of a Dog6.5

Heart of a Dog

2015 · Film

Marina Abramović: The Artist Is Present7.3

Marina Abramović: The Artist Is Present

2012 · Film

The Curse of the Dragon7.2

The Curse of the Dragon

1993 · Film

No Half Measures: Creating the Final Season of Breaking Bad8.5

No Half Measures: Creating the Final Season of Breaking Bad

2013 · Film

Mea Maxima Culpa: Silence in the House of God7.3

Mea Maxima Culpa: Silence in the House of God

2012 · Film

Harmontown6.6

Harmontown

2014 · Film

The Show Must Go On: The Queen + Adam Lambert Story7.3

The Show Must Go On: The Queen + Adam Lambert Story

2019 · Film

Drew: The Man Behind the Poster7.0

Drew: The Man Behind the Poster

2013 · Film

I Am Heath Ledger7.4

I Am Heath Ledger

2017 · Film

Avatar: Creating the World of Pandora6.5

Avatar: Creating the World of Pandora

2010 · Film

Sidney6.9

Sidney

2022 · Film

Avatar: The Deep Dive - A Special Edition of 20/207.2

Avatar: The Deep Dive - A Special Edition of 20/20

2022 · Film

Ex Libris: The New York Public Library6.4

Ex Libris: The New York Public Library

2017 · Film