The first critical biography of Helen Chadwick, who died tragically young but is now revered as a pioneering feminist artist. Helen Chadwick (1953–1996) embraced the sensual aspects of the natural world, breaking the taboos of 'traditional' or 'beautiful' art. Her sculpture, performance, and photography are radical, provocative, and often filled with humor, using unusual, sometimes ridiculous materials – bodily fluids, meat, flowers, chocolate, and compost, among others. She quickly became a leading figure of the post-war avant-garde in Britain, taking her place as one of the first women to be nominated for the Turner Prize. As a dedicated teacher, she mentored the majority of the Young British Artists and is now known as the ‘mother of the YBAs’. She was also involved in the artistic community of Beck Road, Hackney, whose residents included Maureen Paley, Richard Deacon, and Genesis P-Orridge. Although her work was widely exhibited during her lifetime, attention to Chadwick's work diminished after her sudden death in 1996, and only relatively recently has the significance of her work been re-recognized. Coinciding with a major touring retrospective exhibition, this publication covers the breadth of her practice, from her acclaimed MA show In the Kitchen (1977) to the seminal Piss Flowers (1991–2). Combining art and life, focusing on Chadwick's interdisciplinary interests and involvement in education, music, and politics, as well as an in-depth study of her art and ideas, the book is a fitting tribute to her vital contribution to social and cultural history.