Xray Aims (they/them) is a Boston-based queer and disabled multidisciplinary performance artist who is best known for their long durational collaborations that use temporary piercing as a mechanism for fostering connection and understanding while exploring cultural, gender, and sexual politics at the intersection of art and kink.

Born in Boston (aka Aliza Shapiro) they trained as an architect at Rhode Island School of Design, worked in the field for 15 years and all the while creating Truth Serum Productions, a company that brought together queer performers, bands, writers, and drag performers, among others, starting in the 90s. Their current work bridges these two worlds, creating opportunities to engage with built environments through new modes of embodiment.

Their work has been performed/installed in solo and group shows in the U.S., Canada, and Europe. In 2011 and 2013, Aims survived two strokes and developed aphasia, which contributed to an evolution in their performances. During the pandemic, they focused on a solo installation called BasketArt Court, which then became a film that screened at several festivals. Since 2023, they have refocused on collaborative performances bridging art and kink, completing four performances – two at Le Petit Versaille in NYC and two in the Boston area, most recently, No. 97, at the Boston Center for the Arts | The Mills.

They have been supported through grants from The Puffin Foundation, Collective Futures Fund A4A / Mass MoCA Capacity Building Grant and Mass Cultural Council, and they’ve been awarded residencies at Wedding Cake House (2024-2025) and the Boston Center for the Arts Studio Residency Program (2023-2026).