6.3 The Body, Identity, and Politics in Performance Art

Performance art pushes boundaries, using the body as a powerful medium for expression. Artists tackle issues of identity, politics, and social justice through provocative acts that challenge norms and spark dialogue.

From feminist critiques to LGBTQ+ visibility, race and disability representation to body modification, these works confront uncomfortable truths. They force us to reconsider our assumptions about gender, sexuality, ethnicity, and the human form.

Identity and Representation

Feminist and LGBTQ+ Performance Art

• Feminist performance art challenges patriarchal norms through provocative acts
  • Addresses issues of gender inequality, sexual violence, and body politics
  • Yoko Ono's "Cut Piece" (1964) invited audience members to cut off her clothing
• LGBTQ+ performance art explores queer identities and experiences
  • Confronts heteronormative assumptions and celebrates diverse sexualities
  • Highlights issues of discrimination and advocates for LGBTQ+ rights
  • Ron Athey's works examine HIV/AIDS, queer sexuality, and religious iconography
• Both movements often use the artist's body as a site of resistance and empowerment
  • Carolee Schneemann's "Interior Scroll" (1975) challenged male-dominated art world
  • Employs nudity, bodily fluids, and unconventional materials to provoke reactions

Race, Ethnicity, and Intersectionality in Performance

• Race and ethnicity in performance art address issues of cultural identity and discrimination
  • Explores themes of colonialism, diaspora, and cultural appropriation
  • Coco Fusco and Guillermo Gómez-Peña's "Two Undiscovered Amerindians Visit..." (1992-1994) critiqued colonial exhibitions
• Intersectionality in performance art examines overlapping systems of oppression
  • Recognizes how race, gender, class, and sexuality intersect to shape experiences
  • Adrian Piper's works explore racial stereotypes and mixed-race identity
• Artists use their bodies and personal experiences to challenge societal norms
  • William Pope.L's crawling performances address race and class in America
  • Incorporates cultural symbols, rituals, and traditions into performances

Gender and Disability in Performance Art

• Gender performance in art questions societal constructions of masculinity and femininity
  • Explores gender fluidity, non-binary identities, and gender roles
  • Judith Butler's concept of gender performativity influences many artists
  • Cassils' "Becoming an Image" (2012) challenges traditional notions of the gendered body
• Disability in performance art highlights experiences of disabled individuals
  • Challenges ableist assumptions and advocates for disability rights
  • Addresses issues of accessibility, representation, and social inclusion
  • Mary Duffy's performances confront societal perceptions of disabled bodies
• Both areas often involve durational performances and endurance-based works
  • Marina Abramović's long-duration pieces explore physical and mental limits
  • Emphasizes the lived experiences of marginalized bodies in society

The Body as Medium

Body Modification and Ritual Performance

• Body modification in performance art involves altering the artist's physical form
  • Includes tattooing, scarification, piercings, and surgical interventions
  • ORLAN's "Carnal Art" series involves cosmetic surgeries as performance
  • Stelarc's "Ear on Arm" project explores the integration of technology with the body
• Ritual performance incorporates ceremonial or spiritual elements into artistic practice
  • Draws inspiration from cultural traditions, religious practices, and personal beliefs
  • Ana Mendieta's "Silueta Series" combines earth-body sculptures with ritual acts
  • Hermann Nitsch's "Orgien Mysterien Theater" stages elaborate, blood-soaked rituals
• Both approaches often involve elements of pain, endurance, and transformation
  • Chris Burden's "Trans-Fixed" (1974) involved being crucified on a Volkswagen Beetle
  • Explores themes of transcendence, rebirth, and altered states of consciousness
• Raises ethical questions about the limits of art and the use of the body as material
  • Challenges audience comfort levels and societal taboos
  • Blurs boundaries between art, medicine, and spiritual practice

Art as Activism

Activism and Protest Performance Art

• Activism in performance art uses artistic expression to advocate for social and political change
  • Addresses issues such as human rights, environmental concerns, and social justice
  • Tania Bruguera's "Tatlin's Whisper #5" (2008) critiqued state control and censorship
• Protest art incorporates elements of demonstration and civil disobedience
  • Often takes place in public spaces or targets specific institutions
  • Pyotr Pavlensky's political performances in Russia challenge government oppression
• Artists use their bodies as symbols of resistance and solidarity
  • ACT UP's "die-ins" during the AIDS crisis brought attention to government inaction
  • Regina José Galindo's works address violence against women in Guatemala
• Employs strategies of shock, disruption, and participatory engagement
  • The Yes Men's elaborate hoaxes expose corporate and political wrongdoing
  • Guerrilla Girls use humor and anonymity to critique sexism in the art world
• Documentation and dissemination of performances amplify their impact
  • Utilizes social media and online platforms to reach wider audiences
  • Ai Weiwei's works combine performance, documentation, and online activism