In Conversation: Mirabelle Jones and Chelsea Coon. In: The Phenomenology of Blood in Performance Art

This conversation between artists Mirabelle Jones and Chelsea Coon explores the themes of endurance, bodily limits, and societal taboos in performance art. Both artists discuss their respective works, To Skin a Catcaller (Jones, 2015) and Diastole (Coon, 2016), which use endurance-based performance to interrogate gendered violence, the body’s relationship to space, and the politics of visibility.
Jones’ performance, To Skin a Catcaller, emerged from lived experiences with street harassment. Over an eight-hour endurance piece, she navigated a confined gallery space filled with large balloons marked with catcalls, each tipped with razor blades. As the space became increasingly difficult to navigate, accidental ruptures of balloons led to a visceral display of injury and blood, symbolizing the unseen consequences of harassment. This work challenged the misconception of catcalling as harmless and emphasized its role within systemic gender-based violence.
Coon’s Diastole, a ten-hour durational piece, explored perception, endurance, and bodily thresholds. She worked within a small, circular spotlight, marking its perimeter with salt and using contact lenses filled with her own blood. This methodical, cyclical performance highlighted the fragility of the body and the tension between control and surrender. The work questioned societal discomfort with bodily fluids and their relation to power, privilege, and visibility.
Both artists reflect on audience reactions, the role of power in shaping performance spaces, and the privilege required to present taboo subjects. Their conversation underscores the broader implications of endurance performance, its ability to provoke visceral responses, and its potential to disrupt conventional narratives around gender, violence, and the body.