I don't see beautiful or interesting or disgusting. I see weird.

But if she can sell it as "art" for 4500 and up, more power to her and her suckers.

@1, it doesn't say $4500 and up, it says as much as $4500. They found the highest price label in the gallery and latched onto it. It's sensationalist TV for chrissakes.

I actually saw that 20/20. And now I can't remember why I was watching it... anyways, I didn't really get it. I mean, I thought it was interesting that her skin did that, but, that was about it. Nothing about the art interested me or moved me or made me think. So... yeah. I didn't see it as terrific, but I guess that's why art is subjective.

I was done with this at "uses her own skin in her art"...

Yea Ariana! Fuck all these "I dont get it" people... Every artist uses what they have at their disposal--whether theyre crazy fucks or have weird skin issues or can render shadows really well. Its great to see a Seattle Artist in the National Press...I give her mad props and all you assholes should be happy for her...

I actually have several comments I could make about this chick and her 'art' form...but all of them are offensive and vulgar.

I didn't notice her sterilizing her implements. One day her 'art' work may become permanent do to scaring... or she may lose her 'canvas' entirely to flesh eating bacteria.

Man, you guys are brutal.

There are a number of points to make here. First, 20/20 is a tabloid news show that has set out to make a story about contemporary art that my fat uncle in Iowa could find interesting. So the points they tried to make are not necessarily the most insightful things that could be said about Ariana's work. (To the average 20/20 viewer, the fact that anyone anywhere would exchange hard-earned money for contemporary artwork is mindblowing!)

Second, @6, there is no need to sterilize her implements, as there is no physical penetration of the skin involved. The histamine skin reaction is the result of VERY GENTLE pressure with a knitting needle...less forceful than a scratch with a fingernail. It's not any more invasive than, say, combing your hair or wearing clothes.

Finally and most importantly, the fact of the matter is that Ariana makes good work. The thing that makes Ariana's work interesting to me isn't anything mentioned in this clip from 20/20. If it were just about turning a freakish skin condition into gold as they make it sound, it would be shallow and gimmicky. But a fact that does not come across in the broadcast is that the color effects naturally produced by Ariana's immune system are actually quite beautiful. It might be difficult for some of you jaded Slog-commenter types to grasp, but some things aren't good because they're clever or hip...they're good because they are beautiful. And sometimes beautiful things are weird, but this is mostly because WE'RE weird.

To me, the very condition of being a bag of flesh and blood and bacteria that has THOUGHTS and IDEAS is weird as hell. Ariana's work reminds me that we are only flesh and blood and ideas...and that all of these things are ultimately as fleeting as her ephemeral drawings.

@6 - She doesn't need to sterilize her instruments (a blunt knitting needle) because its not breaking the skin in any way.It's just touching her.

I actually have this as well. Every time I have an itch I have to try really hard to not scratch it because if I do my skin looks welted. And like Ariana said, everyone asks you what is wrong and it gets embarrassing because you don't even realize its happening.

the fact of the matter is that Ariana makes good work

Opinion, disagreed. But if people want to pay her for it, they can certainly knock themselves out.