This volume investigates the intersection of the human body, technology, and cultural identity through the lens of Orlan's multi-decade performance art career. Edited by Simon Shepherd and Simon Donger in collaboration with the artist, the book serves as a comprehensive retrospective of her work. It argues that the body functions as a site of political and aesthetic contestation, utilizing genetics and surgical intervention to challenge traditional perceptions of femininity and religious iconography.

Experts and art historians recognize this text as a foundational resource for understanding the evolution of body art and its relationship to modern technology. Readers frequently note the academic density of the prose, which provides a rigorous framework for interpreting the artist's provocative visual output.