Art major Aliza Shvarts ’08 wants to make a statement.

Beginning next Tuesday, Shvarts will be displaying her senior art project, a documentation of a nine-month process during which she artificially inseminated herself “as often as possible” while periodically taking abortifacient drugs to induce miscarriages. Her exhibition will feature video recordings of these forced miscarriages as well as preserved collections of the blood from the process.

The goal in creating the art exhibition, Shvarts said, was to spark conversation and debate on the relationship between art and the human body. But her project has already provoked more than just debate, inciting, for instance, outcry at a forum for fellow senior art majors held last week. And when told about Shvarts’ project, students on both ends of the abortion debate have expressed shock — saying the project does everything from violate moral code to trivialize abortion.

But Shvarts insists her concept was not designed for “shock value.”

“I hope it inspires some sort of discourse,” Shvarts said. “Sure, some people will be upset with the message and will not agree with it, but it’s not the intention of the piece to scandalize anyone.”

The “fabricators,” or donors, of the sperm were not paid for their services, but Shvarts required them to periodically take tests for sexually transmitted diseases. She said she was not concerned about any medical effects the forced miscarriages may have had on her body. The abortifacient drugs she took were legal and herbal, she said, and she did not feel the need to consult a doctor about her repeated miscarriages.

Shvarts declined to specify the number of sperm donors she used, as well as the number of times she inseminated herself.

Wow, a cube of vaseline and baby blood.

Sounds like the appetizer at a Manson family dinner party.

I hope her uterus falls out at her own wedding.

Then again, if she's convinced herself she's an "artist", she probably has no use for it (or a husband) anyway.

I'll stick with my Spirograph, thanks!

It's times like these when I actually wish I believed in Hell.

See thread where I ask "Why does college inspire idiocy?"

so whoring yourself out and inducing miscarriages is art?

My ex must be a modern day Monet by now

Outside link to article?

The advantage to an art degree is it prolongs a persons unemployment by 4 years. At least this young lady (loosely used) will have sufficient experience to qualify for a job at one of the brothels in Pahrump Nevada.

Where are we going and why are we in this handbasket?