Emma Sulkowicz

Emma Sulkowicz is an American performance artist and activist known for works that engage with social issues and prompt public discourse. After gaining national attention for her groundbreaking performance artwork, ‘Mattress Performance (Carry That Weight)’ (2014–2015), Emma Sulkowicz quickly established herself as a pivotal voice in contemporary performance art. Conceived as her senior thesis during Summer 2014, the endurance piece commenced on the Columbia University campus in September 2014. It served as a powerful protest against campus sexual assault and institutions’ handling of such complaints, notably following her own complaint filed in April 2013 and a subsequent report to the New York Police Department in May 2014.

January 2018 saw her orchestrate a protest performance at various New York City museums and a subway station, directly responding to ongoing discussions about artists accused of misconduct. Later that year, from March to April 2018, her gallery installation ‘The Floating World’ at The Invisible Dog in Brooklyn utilized glass orbs and Japanese bondage techniques to symbolize trauma and community support, further engaging viewers in complex social narratives. Demonstrating a continuous evolution of her professional and intellectual pursuits, Sulkowicz embarked on a new academic path in 2019. That year, she began a master’s program in traditional Chinese medicine, signaling a focused commitment to holistic health and ancient healing practices.