Performance Art
THEATER IN ART
Art and life are inextricably linked for a performance artist. In often absurd and unconventional ways, performance artists have been challenging societal expectations about art, society, and everyday life for years. By blending theater, poetry, sound, visual art, and film media into one sensory experience, performance artists created a new genre that has delighted, shocked, amused, and confused audiences.
WHEN & WHERE
c. 1910–Present
USA, Europe, and Japan
Covering everything from spirituality to sex and violence, this movement has generated controversy. From Joseph Beuys gold-leafing his face and tenderly stroking a dead hare to Chris Buren having himself shot in the arm to Yoko Ono sitting motionless on a stage while the audience calmly cut off bits of her clothing, performance artists often make disconcerting statements.
Performance art can happen in a theater or on a street; there are no site boundaries. Live audiences are participatory or not, present or not. The element of chance is unavoidable and often welcomed. Though performances are intentionally impermanent, most are documented with photos and film for posterity. Some props may remain as well, but the event itself is what is significant.
From its roots in Dada performances of the 1910s and John Cage at Black Mountain College in the 1950s, the performance genre has a long history. The 1950s and ’60s saw the nonsensical “Happenings” reflect the zeitgeist of that era (page 25), while the Fluxus group held “events” that challenged convention. Today, performance art is still thriving and pushing the boundaries of contemporary art. —ARR
Selected artists: Marina Abramovi´c, Laurie Anderson, Joseph Beuys, John Cage, Merce Cunningham, Allan Kaprow, Paul McCarthy, Yoko Ono, Nam June Paik, Carolee Schneemann