Destructive forms of expression are among the driving forces of 20th-century art. One of the phenomena of destruction is self-harm. In her actions of the early 1970s, Valie Export works in a self-aggressive manner with her own body, which she perceives as artistic material. Valie Export is now a recognized media artist who has received numerous awards. Her artistic activity began in the late 1960s, accompanied by scandals, with a fundamental questioning of the medium of film, for which the artist primarily employs actionist forms. The focus of the book is the examination of actions from 1971 to 1973, during which self-aggression played a central role for Valie Export. After introducing related artistic concepts, the author inquires about the function of pain.