Performance artist and author Karen Finley—frequent visitor to and good friend of Hallwalls—brings her latest, timely, and most critically acclaimed show, still running off-Broadway through at least September 18. Karen had her New York State debut with her first, post-art school performance at Hallwalls in 1982 (I Like the Dwarf on the Table When I Give Him Head) and visited as recently as February of this year to moderate our discussion with Russian dissident artists Pussy Riot in Asbury Hall. In between—before, during, and after the 1990s “Culture Wars”—she has presented most of her performances and other projects at Hallwalls, including The Constant State of Desire (1987), A Certain Level of Denial (1992), Written in Sand (an audience-interactive, site-specific installation in our 4th-floor gallery at 700 Main St., also 1992), The American Chestnut (1996), Shut Up and Love Me (2001), The Distribution of Empathy (2002), Impulse to Suck (2008), The Jackie Look (2010), and Artists Anonymous (2014).

Of Unicorn Gratitude Mystery, New York Times theater critic Elisabeth Vincentelli wrote: "Time has not reined in Karen Finley’s fire.…she still has the uncanny ability to go from zero to fury in a split second. Now Hillary Clinton and Donald J. Trump are proving splendid inspiration to Ms. Finley, whose work has always explored the intersection between sexuality and power.…Ms. Finley can be wickedly funny. The red 'Make America Great Again' ball cap she wears in 'Mystery' is instantly recognizable, and her Mr. Trump is petulant, whiny, short-tempered—it’s a takedown rather than an impersonation.…The last piece makes some wild turns, touching upon the concept of blondness in Hollywood and society’s exploitation of war and veterans. The connection between all those elements may be a little fuzzy, but no matter—Ms. Finley knows anger; she also knows entertainment" (8/11/16).