11.3 The influence of performance art and happenings

Performance art and happenings shook up the art world in the 60s and 70s. They blurred lines between art and life, challenging traditional roles and spaces. Artists used their bodies as canvases and invited audiences to participate, breaking down barriers.

This rebellious spirit influenced postmodern theatre big time. It embraced experimental techniques, non-traditional spaces, and audience participation. Postmodern theatre blurred reality and fiction, creating immersive experiences that challenged how we think about art and life.

Origins and development of performance art

Emergence and key characteristics

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• Performance art emerged in the 1960s and 1970s as a new form of avant-garde art emphasizing live action and the artist's body as the medium and subject matter
• Happenings, coined by Allan Kaprow, were loosely structured performances involving audience participation and blurring the lines between art and life
• Key artists in the development of performance art include Yoko Ono, Marina Abramović, Chris Burden, and Vito Acconci
• Performance art and happenings sought to break down barriers between art and life, challenging traditional roles of artist and audience

Influences and historical context

• Performance art and happenings were influenced by earlier avant-garde movements (Futurism, Dada, Surrealism) that challenged traditional notions of art and performance
• The rise of performance art and happenings was closely tied to social and political upheavals of the 1960s and 1970s (civil rights movement, feminism, anti-war protests)
• Performance art and happenings reflected the countercultural spirit of the era, rejecting mainstream art institutions and embracing experimentation and provocation
• The development of performance art was also shaped by advancements in technology and media, allowing for new forms of documentation and dissemination

Performance art's impact on postmodern theatre

Experimental and interdisciplinary nature

• Postmodern theatre, emerging in the 1960s and 1970s, embraced the experimental and interdisciplinary nature of performance art and happenings
• Postmodern theatre incorporated elements of dance, music, and visual art, blurring boundaries between different art forms
• Performance art and happenings challenged traditional notions of narrative, character, and theatrical structure, leading to more fragmented and non-linear forms of theatre
• The emphasis on the body and physical presence in performance art influenced the development of physical theatre and dance-theatre in postmodern performance

Challenging audience perceptions and expectations

• Postmodern theatre, like performance art and happenings, sought to blur boundaries between art and life, challenging audience's perceptions of reality and fiction
• The use of non-traditional performance spaces and audience participation, adopted from performance art, became a hallmark of postmodern theatre
• Postmodern theatre productions often directly engaged with or relied on the audience to shape the course of the performance, subverting traditional roles of performer and spectator
• The incorporation of real-life elements (found objects, personal narratives, current events) in postmodern theatre further blurred the lines between art and everyday life

Non-traditional spaces in postmodern theatre

Breaking free from traditional theatre spaces

• Postmodern theatre sought to break free from constraints of traditional theatre spaces (proscenium stages, auditoriums)
• Site-specific performances took place in non-theatrical spaces (warehouses, public parks, abandoned buildings), becoming a hallmark of postmodern theatre
• The use of non-traditional performance spaces allowed for a more immersive and interactive experience for the audience
• Performing in unconventional spaces challenged the notion of theatre as a separate and distinct realm from everyday life

Audience participation and immersion

• Audience participation became a key element of many postmodern theatre productions, with performers directly engaging with or relying on the audience
• The incorporation of audience participation challenged traditional notions of spectatorship and the passive role of the audience in theatre
• Non-traditional spaces and audience participation in postmodern theatre were influenced by practices of performance art and happenings
• Immersive theatre experiences, where the audience is fully integrated into the performance environment, emerged as a significant trend in postmodern theatre
• Audience participation and immersion in postmodern theatre aimed to create more immediate, visceral, and transformative experiences for the audience

Theatre vs everyday life in postmodern performance

Dissolving boundaries between art and reality

• Postmodern performance, influenced by performance art and happenings, sought to dissolve boundaries between theatre, art, and everyday life
• Many postmodern theatre productions incorporated elements of real life (found objects, personal narratives, current events) into the performance
• The use of non-traditional performance spaces and audience participation contributed to the blurring of boundaries between art and life
• Postmodern performance challenged the notion of theatre as separate from everyday life, presenting it as a continuum or extension of reality

Social and political engagement

• The blurring of boundaries in postmodern performance was influenced by the avant-garde notion of art as a means of transforming and reshaping reality
• Postmodern theatre practitioners sought to create performances that were both aesthetically innovative and socially and politically engaged
• Postmodern performance often reflected and commented on the complexities of contemporary life, addressing issues such as identity, power, and social justice
• The blurring of boundaries in postmodern performance led to the development of new hybrid forms of theatre (documentary theatre, autobiographical performance, multimedia performance)
• Postmodern theatre's engagement with social and political issues aimed to provoke critical reflection and inspire action in the audience