French artist Orlan, known for using her own body as a medium, underwent a series of plastic surgeries in the 1990s as part of a provocative art project titled "The Reincarnation of Saint Orlan." Now in her 70s, she continues to challenge conventional beauty standards and is currently lecturing at the Louvre in Paris, where she discusses her work and the evolution of perceptions of beauty.
Orlan’s career matters because she remains a pioneering figure in body art and feminist critique, using her own flesh to question societal norms around appearance, identity, and the commodification of the female body. Her presence at the Louvre—a bastion of traditional art—signals a continued institutional reckoning with avant-garde and politically charged practices, and underscores the enduring relevance of her radical approach in an era of digital filters and cosmetic enhancement.