TRANSMISSION ART ARCHIVE

Lovely Ways To Burn

1990
Gregory Whitehead
A fascinating docu-performance on the contradictory aspects of fire/electricity: seduction and power—fear and destruction. "Everybody's got the fever," a chorus sings in many variations, providing the glue for several intercut and inter-related stories: the fiery childhood memories of a young woman; expert ruminations on the use of electro-shock in therapy and as capital punishment; and sonic outbursts of pyromania. Commissioned by New American Radio.