Abstract

The body politic is a medieval concept which regarded a society or a state as a biological body. For example, a king’s body was often equivalent to a nation; or Christ’s body to the Church. The body politics, stemming from the body politic, is a strategy or a policy by which society controls the human body in both individual and social realms. Both concepts are applied to discuss a heated debate on women’s body as an apparatus in contemporary art. In Korea, 1970s were the oppressive times in political activism while industrial development progressed rapidly. In Europe and North America, feminists and feminist artists applied body politics to advocate for women’s reproductive rights determined by women, to fight against violence on women and objectification of the female body in consumer culture. Unlike feminists in Europe and North America, women in South Korea suffered from various forms of control: miniskirt controversy, school uniforms, hair regulations, family planning, military training, unregulated long work hours. Nonetheless, a group of avant-garde artists provoked the authority with “scandalous” performances. This paper showcases four periods: Kang-ja Jung’s performances from 1969 to 1970; Bul Lee’ Cravings from 1989 to 1990; Nikki Lee’s Projects from 1997 to 2001; Debbie Han’s Goddesses from 2013 to 2016. Their works are interpreted in the context of popular journalism, patriarchy-defending justice system, beauty and wellness as symbolic capital, and increasingly transnational status of artists.