Joey Skaggs

Joey Skaggs (born 1945) is an American multi-media artist, social activist, cultural satirist, media critic and educator known for using unconventional approaches to address social issues through art. Although classically trained in painting and sculpture, Skaggs shifted toward public performance art in 1966. His first performance was a commentary on religious hypocrisy and man's inhumanity to man: he erected a decaying crucifixion sculpture of Jesus Christ in Tompkins Square Park, New York City, on Easter Sunday. The public's reaction and subsequent media coverage, in contrast to the slower pace of the traditional art establishment, motivated Skaggs to engage in public art interventions. He began to use the spectacle of public performance, frequently with humor and satire, to provoke the media to report on the work. This offered a larger platform, expanding the reach of his artistic message.

Over time, some Skaggs' performances developed into elaborate media hoaxes, which gained significant attention. He is the creator, amoung many other works, of "Hippie Bus Tour to Queens" (1968), "Cathouse for Dogs" (1976), "Celebrity Sperm Bank" (1976), "Metamorphosis Cockroach Vitamin Cure" (1981), "Bad Guys Talent Management Agency" (1984), "Fat Squad" (1986), "Hair Today, Ltd." (1990), "Portofess" (1992), "SEXONIX" (1993), "Dog Meat Soup" (1994), "Solomon Project" (1995), and "Final Curtain" (2000).

Skaggs' art practice blends fine art, theatrical performance, guerrilla theater, and advertising and public relations techniques. Journalists who report on his satirical works as if they are real become unwitting collaborators. His work has received global media coverage across newspapers, magazines, radio, and television, with Skaggs frequently employing various aliases.

Skaggs' media work is unsanctioned and independent of any sponsorship or expectation of monetary gain. His solo and collective actions challenge concepts of power, authority, and injustice while advocating for systemic change. According to his website, Skaggs aims to inspire people to question authority maintain critical thinking, seek diverse information sources, and reflect on their own biases and preconceived notions.

He is credited as one of the originators of the phenomenon known as culture jamming. Provided by Wikipedia