Karen Finley

Karen Finley is a living performance artist who's work is categorized as obscure due to its graphic nature of sexuality, abuse, and disenfranchisement.

Karen was born in Evanston, Illinois in 1958. She received her MFA at the San Francisco Institute of Fine Arts. Karen Immersed herself in the Bay area Punk Scene of 1977. There she performed at art galleries and underground music clubs. With the help of an NEA Grant Karen moved to New York City where she collaborated with many artists like David Wojharowiz and The Kipper Kid. In her performances she is often nude dabbing, smearing, and pouring different materials like sprinkles, chocolate, or eggs on her body to symbolize the violation of the female character, she speaks for these women in her screams and moans on stage. Some of her recordings featured her rants over disco music (some of which were produced by Madonna). Because of the controversy of most of her pieces Karen has been in many popular media outlets (Oprah, Seinfeld, and the character of Maureen in the musical Rent is thought to have been an on homage to Karen). Karen has published many books, and is currently teaching at New York University in Manhattan