🎨American Art – 1945 to Present Unit 5 – Performance Art

Key Concepts and Definitions

• Performance art involves live actions or events presented to an audience, often incorporating elements of theater, music, dance, and visual arts
• Emphasizes the artist's body as the primary medium and subject matter, challenging traditional notions of art as a static object
• Explores the relationship between the artist, the audience, and the space in which the performance takes place
  • Can involve audience participation or interaction, blurring the lines between performer and spectator
• Frequently addresses social, political, and cultural issues, using the immediacy of live performance to provoke thought and dialogue
• Ephemeral nature of performance art challenges the commodification of art objects and the art market
  • Documentation through photographs, videos, or written accounts often serves as the only lasting record of the performance
• Time-based medium that unfolds in real-time, requiring the audience to engage with the work in the present moment
• Interdisciplinary approach often incorporates elements from other art forms (music, dance, theater) and non-art disciplines (psychology, anthropology)

Historical Context and Origins

• Performance art emerged in the 1960s and 1970s as part of the broader conceptual art movement, which prioritized ideas over traditional artistic skills and materials
• Influenced by avant-garde movements of the early 20th century (Futurism, Dada, Surrealism) that challenged conventional art forms and embraced performative elements
• Developed in response to the social and political upheavals of the 1960s (Civil Rights Movement, Vietnam War, Women's Liberation Movement)
  • Artists sought to create art that directly engaged with contemporary issues and challenged the status quo
• Influenced by the rise of postmodernism, which questioned grand narratives and embraced a pluralistic approach to art-making
• Drew inspiration from non-Western art forms and rituals that emphasized the body and performance (Japanese Butoh, shamanic practices)
• Enabled by advancements in technology (video, television) that allowed for the documentation and dissemination of performances
• Reflected the growing interest in process-oriented and time-based art forms (Happenings, Fluxus events) that blurred the boundaries between art and life

Influential Artists and Works

• Marina Abramović, known for her physically and emotionally demanding performances that explore the limits of the body and mind
  • "Rhythm 0" (1974): Abramović placed 72 objects on a table and invited the audience to use them on her body as they desired, testing the boundaries between artist and audience
• Chris Burden, whose controversial performances often involved physical danger and endurance
  • "Shoot" (1971): Burden had a friend shoot him in the arm with a rifle, exploring the relationship between art and violence
• Vito Acconci, whose performances investigated the boundaries between public and private space, as well as the role of the artist's body
  • "Seedbed" (1972): Acconci lay hidden beneath a ramp in a gallery, masturbating and speaking to visitors through a microphone, challenging notions of privacy and voyeurism
• Carolee Schneemann, a pioneer of feminist performance art who used her body to explore gender, sexuality, and politics
  • "Interior Scroll" (1975): Schneemann extracted a scroll from her vagina and read from it, confronting taboos surrounding the female body and women's voices in art
• Joseph Beuys, a German artist who believed in the transformative power of art and the concept of "social sculpture"
  • "I Like America and America Likes Me" (1974): Beuys spent three days living with a coyote in a gallery, symbolically reconciling American history and mythology

Techniques and Mediums

• Performance art often involves the artist's body as the primary medium, using physical actions, gestures, and movements to convey meaning
• Incorporates elements of theater, such as staging, lighting, and costuming, to create immersive and dramatic experiences
• Utilizes non-traditional materials and objects (bodily fluids, food, everyday items) to challenge conventional notions of art materials
  • For example, Ana Mendieta's "Silueta Series" (1973-1980) used blood, fire, and earth to create ephemeral sculptures and performances
• Employs durational strategies, with performances lasting for extended periods (hours, days, or even weeks) to test the limits of the artist's endurance and the audience's attention
• Engages with site-specific locations (public spaces, natural environments) to create performances that respond to and interact with their surroundings
• Incorporates multimedia elements (video, sound, projection) to create multi-sensory experiences and document the performance
• Collaborates with other artists, musicians, and dancers to create interdisciplinary works that blur the boundaries between art forms
• Utilizes improvisation and spontaneity to create performances that are unique and unrepeatable, emphasizing the immediacy of the live experience

Themes and Social Commentary

• Performance art often addresses social and political issues, using the body as a site of resistance and critique
• Explores gender roles, sexuality, and identity, challenging societal norms and expectations
  • Works like Adrian Piper's "Mythic Being" series (1972-1975) and Martha Wilson's "Posturing: Male Impersonator" (1973) interrogate the construction and performance of gender
• Confronts issues of race, ethnicity, and cultural identity, often through the lens of the artist's personal experiences
  • Performances such as James Luna's "The Artifact Piece" (1987) and Guillermo Gómez-Peña's "The Couple in the Cage" (1992) critique the exoticization and marginalization of indigenous and non-Western cultures
• Addresses the relationship between the individual and society, exploring themes of alienation, conformity, and resistance
• Comments on consumerism, mass media, and the commodification of art, often through the use of irony and parody
  • Works like Barbara Kruger's "Untitled (I Shop Therefore I Am)" (1987) and Krzysztof Wodiczko's "Homeless Vehicle Project" (1988-1989) critique the excesses and inequalities of capitalist society
• Engages with environmental and ecological concerns, using performance to raise awareness and inspire action
  • Agnes Denes's "Wheatfield - A Confrontation" (1982), in which the artist planted and harvested a wheat field in downtown Manhattan, highlights issues of land use and sustainability

Critical Reception and Controversies

• Performance art has often been met with controversy and criticism, challenging traditional notions of art and pushing the boundaries of acceptability
• Early performances were often met with shock, confusion, and even hostility from audiences and critics who were unfamiliar with the genre
• Some performances have been criticized for their use of violence, nudity, and taboo subject matter, sparking debates about censorship and the limits of artistic expression
  • Chris Burden's "Shoot" (1971) and Valie Export's "Action Pants: Genital Panic" (1969) are examples of works that provoked strong reactions and raised questions about the ethics of performance art
• Feminist performance art has faced backlash and accusations of narcissism and exhibitionism, reflecting broader societal attitudes towards women's bodies and voices
• The ephemeral nature of performance art has led to debates about the role of documentation and the relationship between the live event and its recorded traces
  • Some critics argue that the true essence of performance art lies in the immediate, unrepeatable experience, while others see documentation as a necessary means of preserving and disseminating the work
• The commodification of performance art through the sale of documentation and re-performances has raised questions about the integrity and authenticity of the genre
• Despite these controversies, performance art has gained increasing recognition and acceptance within the art world, with major museums and institutions hosting retrospectives and exhibitions dedicated to the genre

Legacy and Impact on Contemporary Art

• Performance art has had a significant impact on the development of contemporary art, influencing a wide range of practices and genres
• Helped to expand the definition of art beyond traditional media and techniques, paving the way for the acceptance of conceptual, time-based, and ephemeral works
• Influenced the rise of participatory and relational art practices that prioritize audience engagement and social interaction
  • Artists like Rirkrit Tiravanija and Tino Sehgal create works that blur the lines between art and everyday life, inviting viewers to become active participants in the creative process
• Contributed to the development of feminist art and the increased visibility of women artists, who have used performance to challenge patriarchal structures and assert their agency
• Informed the growth of body art and the use of the artist's body as a medium for exploring identity, vulnerability, and transformation
  • Contemporary artists like Ron Athey and Orlan continue to push the boundaries of body art, using extreme and often controversial practices to interrogate the limits of the human form
• Inspired the emergence of socially engaged and activist art practices that use performance to address pressing political and social issues
  • Groups like Pussy Riot and Femen employ provocative and confrontational performances to challenge oppressive regimes and advocate for social change
• Helped to establish the importance of documentation and archives in preserving and disseminating ephemeral art practices
  • Institutions like the Museum of Modern Art and the Tate have developed extensive performance art archives, ensuring that these works can be studied and appreciated by future generations

Notable Performances and Events

• "18 Happenings in 6 Parts" (1959) by Allan Kaprow, one of the earliest examples of a "Happening," a precursor to performance art that involved audience participation and improvisation
• "Cut Piece" (1964) by Yoko Ono, in which the artist sat passively on stage while audience members were invited to cut away her clothing, exploring themes of vulnerability, gender, and the relationship between artist and viewer
• "Meat Joy" (1964) by Carolee Schneemann, a group performance involving raw meat, fish, and chickens, celebrating the sensual and primal aspects of the body
• "Rhythm 0" (1974) by Marina Abramović, a six-hour performance in which the artist allowed the audience to manipulate her body using various objects, testing the limits of control and submission
• "The Conditioning" (1973) by Gina Pane, a three-hour performance in which the artist lay on a metal bed frame above burning candles, exploring themes of pain, endurance, and purification
• "The Artist Is Present" (2010) by Marina Abramović, a 736-hour performance at the Museum of Modern Art in which the artist sat silently across from individual audience members, creating a powerful and intimate connection
• "Rhythm 5" (1974) by Marina Abramović, in which the artist lay inside a burning wooden star, losing consciousness due to lack of oxygen and requiring rescue by the audience
• "I Miss You" (1991) by Felix Gonzalez-Torres, a billboard featuring a photograph of an empty bed, evoking themes of loss, intimacy, and the AIDS crisis