Renate Lorenz (PhD) works as an artist and as an independent author, mostly in the fields of queer, gender, and art theory. She is professor of art and research at the Academy of Fine Arts in Vienna.

"An exciting read for those invested in queer theory and gender studies as well as for those with an interest in the fine arts and performance art." Gloria Höckner, fiber [German magazine for feminist and pop-cultural issues, appears twice a year], 21 (2012) "A very complex book that manages to be comprehensive - and infectious at the same time." Persson Perry Baumgartinger, Stimme [quarterly magazine published by the Austrian 'Initiative Minderheiten' ('Initiative Minorities')], 85 (2012) "Renate Lorenz focuses on a description of the appearance of the 'freak' as a cultural practice that not only offers alternatives to conventional relations of social power through interventions and images but also constitutes more than a simple critique or subversion of social norms. What is special about her work is that her theory links poststructuralist approaches with typical elements of the freak show [...] and thereby generates innovative intersections that go beyond what has been so far characteristic of the queer. Lorenz thus adds new aspects to the academic field." Silke Förschler, sehepunkte [German monthly Open Access review journal for historiography and art studies], 13 (2013)