Antonin Artaud (1896–1948) remains one of the most inspirational, provocative and challenging figures in world-wide contemporary culture. His trajectory extends from the Surrealist movement, to the Theatre of Cruelty, to the lunatic asylums of France, and finally back to Paris and the most astonishing period of his work. This unique book explores the violent extremes of Artaud's vision – work that is traversed by forces of ecstasy and annihilation, and sutured together by a raw imagery of the screaming human body.

For the first time, THE SCREAMING BODY gives a full and authoritative account of Artaud's film projects, and his conception of Surrealist cinema including The Seashell And The Clergyman. It examines his unique series of drawings of the fragmented human body, begun in the ward of a lunatic asylum and finished in a state of furious liberation. Finally, the book captures Artaud's ultimate experiment with the screaming body in the form of his censored recording To Have Done With The Judgement Of God – an experiment which is unprecedented in the history of art, and which ultimately decimates that history.

Based on extensive interviews with Artaud's closest friends and enemies, including the psychiatrist who gave him electro-shock treatment, THE SCREAMING BODY also includes brand new translations of Artaud’s seminal texts Sorcery And Cinema and The Butcher’s Revolt.

THE SCREAMING BODY is an essential illustrated resource and inspiration for those engaged in creating the definitive culture of our time, in film, art, music and writing.

NEW, UPDATED AND EXPANDED EDITION