World18 June 20182 min read

Australian artist Parr emerges alive from burial

An Australian performance artist who was buried in a steel container under a busy road for 72 hours as part of a so-called dark arts festival was released from his self-imposed prison yesterday. Mike Parr, a 73-year-old performance artist whose creative endeavors typically explor

Editorial Team Legacy

Published 18 June 2018, 8:00 · Updated 22:13

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Australian artist Parr emerges alive from burial

Oxygen was pumped into the container where Parr had access to water, reading and writing material, a heater and a distress button in case anything went wrong - but no food. He was equipped with a bucket for sanitary use.

The burial act was part of the Dark Mofo Festival on the island state of Tasmania. It was designed to highlight violence perpetrated by colonialists against Aboriginal communities, the festival said on its website.

Dark arts festivals showcase artwork and performances that often celebrate ancient rituals. The festival has attracted controversy for placing inverted red crosses across Hobart, Tasmania’s capital, prompting some Christian groups to denounce the installations as satanic. Parr’s previous performance art included wrapping himself up in fusewire, then setting it alight, and sewing up his face.

Australian artist Parr emerges alive from burial

Editorial Team Legacy

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