Notes
1In the performance itself, the acts of transgression serve to demarcate the boundaries. Evidence for this is provided in the action of the halting of the potentially fatal gunshot to the head. In other words, transgression does not allay the fear and potency of the taboo but actually reinforces it.
2See also ‘The Suffering Servant’ (Isaiah 53: 4–12) as another example of kenosis.
3Benveniste states that this etymology was invented by Christians and first used by Lacantius and Tertullian. Other sources (Cicero) speak of relegere, while religio remains the most constant inter-pretation (Derrida and Vattimo Citation1998: 36–7, 72).
4Although it credible to claim that the collective work of the Vienna Actionists, who included Nitsch, were oriented towards the body in its fragments, I have chosen to isolate Nitsch from this group because his work is directly inspired by the symbolism of Christianity and thus has greater pertinence.
5Paglia defines sparagmos as the violent principle of Dionysius, which means ‘a rending, tearing, mangling’ and, secondly, ‘a convulsion, spasm’ (Paglia Citation2001: 95).
6The ‘Real Presence’ is a phrase used in Eucharistic theology to express the actual rather than figurative presence of the Body and Blood in the Sacrament.
7This description is used with reference to the role of Yoko Ono in Cut Piece (see Warr and Jones Citation2000: 74), but I have purposefully widened its application here.
8The examples can also be viewed from the perspective of liberation theology.