Steven Cohen

South Africa


Dancing Inside Out, 2006
C-print
50x39.5

Image courtesy Stevenson gallery, South Africa, Holland
The title of this work refers to a 2006 performance art piece by Cohen, in which the focus is on exploring all the orifices of his body while a recording of Hitler addressing a Nazi rally is played. In this way the eponymous dancing takes place on the ‘inside’.

Cohen has since early on in his performance practiced dressed-up as a female character – often referred to as Princess Menorah.

“I am so well disguised behind the makeup, behind the shoes, behind the stocking and the bizarre makeup that it’s a head to toe mask and from behind there I can say anything I really believe in,” says Cohen in conversation with Ivor Powell in Life is shot, art is long (Stevenson).