Body High: Death, Drugs, and Eva Hesse

Dripping latex, collapsed rubber tubes, and visceral forms — these were the raw materials of a radical 1960s art movement, where objects transformed into unsettling reflections of the body’s sensuality and decay. In Body High, Ryann Donnelly dives into this provocative world, focusing on the groundbreaking work of sculptor Eva Hesse and other women artists who redefined the boundaries of bodily expression. Blending art criticism with raw personal memoir, Donnelly weaves Hesse’s revolutionary creations with her own journey as a musician and artist grappling with her partner's addiction, fragility, and the complexities of love. Part autotheory, part modern feminist history, Body High is an intimate exploration of how we medicate ourselves, express our pain, and confront the unanswerable question: why can't we save the people we love?