b. 1967. Matthew Barney exploded onto the New York art scene with all the force of his often insanely physical videos. Just eight years later, a New York Times article dared to crown him "the most important artist of his generation." The occasion was the release of "Cremaster," one of a cycle of five films named after the “thermometer” muscles that retract the testicles when things get chilly.

It’s hard to say just what kind of artist Matthew Barney is. Born in San Francisco but raised in Boise, Idaho (where the first scene of "Cremaster” is set), Barney grew up as the all-American guy, attending Yale on a football scholarship. He even capitalized on his good looks, paying his way through school by modeling.