In a globalized world, the body becomes a bio-political entity, host to a plethora of imported contagions. Continental barriers become mere filters for new strains of viruses and other forms of biohazards that can propagate an an alarmingly fast rate. How local and global health organizations, pharmaceutical companies and governments handle such outbreaks is both a political and an economical enterprise that can be construed as a form of social engineering.
Every outbreak is an opportunity to experiment with populations at a grand scale – hence, the combination of the terms Bird Flu and Fluxus, the artistic movement of the mid 70s that spearheaded actions, happenings and performances as artistic expressions that aimed to experiment with the body of both the artist and the viewer.
