Orlan

The works of Orlan have definitely changed dramatically over the course of a few years from doing work primarily about women to more digital aspects going back to the roots of civilization. Her works with plastic surgery were a very striking example of using yourself as the art and also to transform something so mundane into something out of this world and creative. It was almost as if she created an installation of herself in the operating room of the hospital. To me this was the pinnacle of her work dealing with the human form and transforming space.

When she conducted her art in the hospital operating room she did not just lay there by herself. The whole room was decorated with art and sculpture and she was actually awake during all of the procedures. This added a surrealist feel to it because most people would never want to be awake for a surgery, but she was and at some points was actually reading a book while the surgeon worked.

Her later work digital pictures of herself transformed into cultural themes and icons has a very tribal feel which is a definite thing she was going for. I feel like she is saying that we all come from different locations but we all originated somewhere. She has done a few series' of these kinds of works, and each of them are based on a specific era and culture.

To me her early work is outlandish and wild, but as she continued it became less about her and more about the image itself.