3.2 Historical development of performance art

Performance art emerged in the early 1900s, challenging traditional art forms. Artists emphasized live action and audience participation, breaking away from static objects. They expressed ideas directly to viewers, often in provocative ways.

The 1970s saw performance art diversify with postmodernism. Artists incorporated conceptual and installation elements, challenged the idea of a singular creator, and drew inspiration from non-Western art forms like Japanese Butoh dance.

Performance Art's Evolution

Early 20th Century Challenges to Traditional Art Forms

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• Performance art emerged in the early 20th century as artists sought to challenge traditional art forms and blur the boundaries between art and life
• Artists emphasized the importance of live action, audience participation, and the integration of various art forms, breaking away from conventional notions of art as static objects
• Performance art served as a means for artists to express their ideas and concepts directly to the audience, often in provocative and unconventional ways (Futurist performances, Dada events)

Postmodernism and Diversification of Practices

• The rise of postmodernism in the 1970s and 1980s led to a diversification of performance art practices, with artists incorporating elements of conceptual art, installation art, and video art into their performances
• Postmodern performance artists often challenged the notion of the artist as a singular creator, instead emphasizing collaboration, appropriation, and the deconstruction of traditional narratives (Laurie Anderson, Guillermo Gómez-Peña)
• The influence of non-Western art forms, such as Japanese Butoh dance and African ritual performances, on Western performance art practices during this period led to a diversification of styles and approaches

Contemporary Evolution and Expansion

• The 1990s and 2000s saw the emergence of a new generation of performance artists who embraced technology and new media, creating immersive and interactive experiences for audiences
• Contemporary performance artists often engage with contemporary social, political, and cultural issues, using their work as a means of activism and social commentary (Pussy Riot, Ai Weiwei)
• Today, performance art continues to evolve and expand, with artists exploring new forms of expression, such as site-specific performances, durational works, and participatory projects that blur the lines between art and everyday life (Marina Abramović, Tino Sehgal)

Avant-Garde Influences on Performance

Futurism: Speed, Technology, and Provocation

• The Futurist movement, which emerged in Italy in the early 20th century, celebrated speed, technology, and the modern world, seeking to break down the barriers between art and life through provocative performances and manifestos
• Futurist performances often involved noise music, experimental poetry, and aggressive gestures, aiming to shock and provoke the audience (Filippo Tommaso Marinetti, Luigi Russolo)
• The Futurists' emphasis on live action and audience confrontation laid the groundwork for later performance art practices that sought to challenge and engage the viewer directly

Dada: Absurdity, Chance, and Rejection of Tradition

• The Dadaists, who emerged in Europe during World War I, rejected traditional art forms and embraced absurdity, chance, and irrationality in their performances, which often involved nonsensical actions and sounds
• Dada performances frequently incorporated everyday objects and found materials, challenging the notion of art as a precious or skilled craft (Hugo Ball, Tristan Tzara)
• The Dadaists' use of humor, irony, and absurdity as a means of critiquing societal norms and values influenced later generations of performance artists who sought to subvert and question dominant cultural narratives

Surrealism: Unconscious Mind and Dream-like Imagery

• The Surrealists, who emerged in the 1920s, explored the unconscious mind and sought to create art that was free from the constraints of reason and logic, often incorporating elements of dream-like imagery and automatic writing into their performances
• Surrealist performances often involved collaborative, improvisational activities that aimed to tap into the collective unconscious and reveal hidden truths about the human psyche (André Breton, Antonin Artaud)
• The Surrealists' emphasis on the irrational, the fantastical, and the psychological dimensions of art influenced later performance artists who sought to explore the inner workings of the mind and the boundaries between reality and imagination

Performance Art in the 1960s and 1970s

Political and Social Activism

• The social and political upheavals of the 1960s and 1970s, including the Civil Rights Movement, the Women's Liberation Movement, and the Vietnam War protests, had a significant impact on the development of performance art
• Artists began using performance as a means of political and social activism, often addressing issues such as gender, race, and war in their work (Yoko Ono, Carolee Schneemann)
• Performance art became a powerful tool for marginalized groups to assert their identities, challenge oppressive structures, and demand social change

Conceptual Art and the Fluxus Movement

• The rise of conceptual art in the 1960s and 1970s led to a shift away from the traditional emphasis on the art object and towards the idea or concept behind the work, which was often expressed through performance
• The Fluxus movement, which emerged in the 1960s, emphasized the importance of process and chance in art-making and often involved collaborative performances that blurred the lines between art and life (John Cage, Yoko Ono)
• Conceptual and Fluxus artists challenged the commodification of art and the role of the artist as a skilled craftsman, instead prioritizing the intellectual and experiential aspects of the work

Feminist Performance Art

• The feminist art movement of the 1970s saw women artists using performance as a means of exploring and challenging traditional gender roles and expectations
• Feminist performance artists often used their own bodies as the medium, engaging in provocative and confrontational acts that exposed the ways in which women's bodies were objectified and controlled by patriarchal society (Carolee Schneemann, Hannah Wilke)
• Through their performances, feminist artists sought to reclaim agency over their bodies and identities, and to create new spaces for women's voices and experiences to be heard and valued

Technology and Contemporary Performance Art

Video Art and Documentation

• The advent of video art in the 1960s and 1970s provided performance artists with a new medium for documenting and disseminating their work, allowing for a wider audience and greater experimentation with time and space
• Video documentation of performances allowed for the creation of new forms of art that existed beyond the ephemeral moment of the live event, enabling artists to manipulate and edit their performances in post-production (Nam June Paik, Bruce Nauman)
• The use of video in performance art also challenged traditional notions of authorship and originality, as artists could create multiple versions and interpretations of the same performance

Internet, Social Media, and Interactivity

• The rise of the internet and social media in the 1990s and 2000s has enabled performance artists to reach a global audience and create new forms of interactive and participatory art
• Online platforms and social media have allowed performance artists to engage with audiences in real-time, creating collaborative and improvisational works that blur the boundaries between artist and viewer (Amalia Ulman, LaTurbo Avedon)
• The use of digital technologies has also enabled performance artists to create immersive and multi-sensory experiences that engage audiences in new and innovative ways, such as through the use of projection mapping, motion capture, and virtual reality (Ragnar Kjartansson, teamLab)

Biometric Data and Wearable Technologies

• The incorporation of biometric data and wearable technologies into performance art has enabled artists to explore the relationship between the body and technology in new ways
• Artists have used sensors, cameras, and other devices to track and visualize bodily functions and movements, creating performances that blur the boundaries between the biological and the technological (Stelarc, Rebecca Fiebrink)
• The use of wearable technologies in performance art has also raised questions about privacy, surveillance, and the ethics of using personal data in artistic contexts, prompting critical discussions about the role of technology in shaping our identities and experiences