Twisted art?

I'm taking an advanced drawing class this semester that is looking at the performance art movement. The textbook is frightening. I'm still a bit conservative, I suppose, because a bunch of the stuff in that book isn't art to me. Some of it looks like blatant appeals for the intervention of mental health professionals.

With that in mind, I've made it a point thus far to choose projects for myself that don't harm anyone physically ( and hopefully only jar slightly on the mental or emotional level) while still being creative and compelling enough to stand on their own. I think I've done pretty well so far, I'm pulling a B+ or A- by my calculations.

But the final project, oi. We have to pick a historical figure, read a biography of same and then take on the role of that person to perform 5 acts in the world. These acts are then to be documented by drawings, paintings or photographs (the prof has a very fluid definition of "drawing"). Not so bad, really.

Except, I picked Vlad Tepes. Mostly because I was interested in reading the book (which spends chapters on Hollywood vampires and literary vampires as well). But it occurs to me now that maybe the class is getting to me, at least as far as my choice of historical figure goes. I'm about halfway through the book and I realize that some of the stuff this guy is thought to have done isn't so very far removed from some of the "art" pieces in the creepy textbook.

So, I'm going to try to turn it around. I'm not sure just how yet but I think I can find a way to use old Vlad the Impaler to shine a light on the depravity of the whole movement we're looking at. Wish me luck. Or else its the stake for you! ;)