Performance art

Performance art is a special kind of artwork where the artist is part of the piece. You can see it live or on recordings, often in art galleries or museums. It is also called artistic action.

Performance art became important in the 20th century, especially in experimental art. It has five main parts: time, space, the artist's body, the artist being present, and the relationship between the artist and the audience. The artist may create the piece spontaneously or plan it carefully. These artworks can happen anywhere and at any time. The goal is to make the audience think or feel something new, often using surprise and beauty. The topics often come from the artist's own life or important social issues.

The words "performance art" became common in the 1970s, but artists have been doing performances since the 1910s. Some of the first artists to work in this way include Carolee Schneemann, Marina Abramović, and Joseph Beuys. Today, artists like Tania Bruguera and Petr Pavlensky continue to explore new ideas through performance art. This kind of art is connected to other art movements like happenings, the Fluxus movement, Viennese Actionism, body art, and conceptual art.

Definition

Performance art is a special kind of art where the artist is part of the artwork. You can watch it live or on a recording. It might be planned or happen right then and there. This art is usually shown in art places and can mix many different activities.

The idea of performance art is to give something new and real to both the artist and the people watching. It can't be bought or done exactly the same way again. It’s not just for fun; it has a message and often breaks usual rules about art. Performance artists might use talking, actions, or even machines to make people think in new ways. They can include dance, music, or circus tricks, and sometimes use ideas from religion or buildings. Some artists call their work "live art" or "action art" instead of performance art.

Origins

Performance art is a special kind of art where the artist is part of the artwork. It started around 1916, during a time called Dadaism. Dadaism was a group of artists who wanted to try new things in art. They liked to do surprising and different work.

Cabaret Voltaire

Main article: Cabaret Voltaire (Zürich)

The Cabaret Voltaire was a place in Zürich, Switzerland, where artists gathered to create new kinds of art. It was started by Hugo Ball and Emmy Hennings. Here, artists did strange and exciting performances that helped start the Dada movement.

Dadaism was all about questioning normal rules of art. They believed in being unpredictable and liked to shock people with their art.

Cabaret Voltaire closed in 1916 but was brought back to life much later.

Futurism

Main article: Futurism

Futurism began in 1909 and was another group of artists who liked to try new things. They used poetry, music, and even public events to share their ideas, which were like early forms of performance art.

Bauhaus

Main article: Bauhaus

Bauhaus was an art school started in 1919. They had classes where students could explore using their bodies, space, sound, and light in new ways.

Action painting

Main article: Action Painting

In the 1940s and 1950s, some artists started painting by doing actions instead of just using brushes. They moved and acted while they painted, which was an early form of performance art.

Nouveau réalisme

Main article: Nouveau réalisme

Nouveau réalisme started in 1960. Artists in this group did live actions as part of their art, bringing everyday life and art closer together.

Gutai

Main article: Gutai

Gutai was a group of artists from Japan who started in 1955. They did bold actions, sometimes breaking things, to make art that was full of energy.

Land art and performance

Main article: Land art

In the late 1960s, some artists began using the land and nature to create art. They sometimes used their own bodies in these works, which shared ideas with performance art.

1960s

In the 1960s, new artists and ideas changed what art could be. This time saw the start of performance art, where the artist is part of the artwork. These performances could happen live or be recorded, and they often mixed many different art styles.

Viennese actionism

Main article: Viennese Actionism

Viennese Actionism was a short but powerful art movement in the 1960s. It focused on using performance to make art, often in surprising ways. Important artists in this movement included Günter Brus, Otto Muehl, and Hermann Nitsch.

New York and avant-garde performance

In the early 1960s, New York City became a center for new art ideas. Andy Warhol made films and hosted events with music and lights. Other artists like Joey Skaggs created public performances that made people think about power and the media.

The Living Theatre

Main article: The Living Theatre

The Living Theatre was a famous theater group that started in 1947. They believed in making theater that changed society and often performed in unusual places.

Fluxus

Main article: Fluxus

Fluxus was an art movement that started in the 1960s. It mixed music, literature, and dance, and focused on everyday life rather than traditional art objects. Key figures included George Maciunas, John Cage, and Dick Higgins.

Process art

Main article: Process Art

Process art is about the experience of making art rather than the final product.

Happening

Main article: Happening

Happenings were unstructured performances that let artists try new things with movement, sounds, and texts. Allan Kaprow was one of the first to create happenings, inviting the audience to become part of the art.

The years after 1968 brought more political and cultural influences to performance art.

1970s

In the 1970s, artists focused more on performance art. They made art through actions, videos, or group shows, often connecting their work to big ideas about society and politics.

Video performance

In the early 1970s, artists started using video to record and share their art. Exhibitions by Joan Jonas and Vito Acconci showed their work on video. Books like Expanded Cinema by Gene Youngblood wrote about this new way to make art. Nam June Paik, a famous South Korean artist, became known for his video and sound art.

Carolee Schneemann and Robert Whitman used video in their performances in the 1960s, helping to make performance art special.

Joan Jonas added video to her art in 1972, and Bruce Nauman made artworks recorded on video. Nauman used many materials, including his own body, to make thoughtful art.

Gilbert and George, a pair of artists, became famous for their live “sculpture” shows. They wore suits and ties and stood still like living statues. They also made paintings, collages, and photos with ideas about politics and society. They have shown their art in famous museums and won awards like the Turner Prize.

Endurance art

Main article: Endurance art

Endurance art looks at ideas like tiredness and long challenges. Some artists spent many hours or days doing their art. Chris Burden was one of the first to do this in the 1970s. In one piece, he stayed inside a school locker for five days. Another artist, Tehching Hsieh, took a photo of himself every hour for a whole year. Marina Abramović once lived for twelve days without eating.

Performance in a political context

In the mid-1970s, artists in cities like Budapest, Kraków, Zagreb and Novi Sad used performance art to share their ideas against strict rules. Orshi Drozdik made art that questioned old traditions and rules. Her work helped start new ways of thinking about art.

The Other

In the mid-1970s, Ulay and Marina Abramović worked together in Amsterdam as The Other. They explored ideas about the self. They did performances where they moved around a room and breathed each other’s air until they could not stand. After many years, they ended their work with a walk along the Great Wall of China, starting from opposite ends and meeting in the middle.

Main artists

In 1973, Laurie Anderson performed Duets on Ice in New York City streets. Marina Abramović did a performance called Rhythm 10. Other important artists included Chris Burden and Vito Acconci. Carolee Schneemann created Eye Body and Interior Scroll, using the body as part of her art.

One important artist was Gina Pane, from France. She studied art in Paris and joined a group called “Art Corporel” in the 1970s. Her art often included challenging moments to make viewers feel deeply affected. The body was a main focus of her work.

1980s

The technique of performance art

Before the 1980s, performance art focused less on skills. But in the 1980s, it started to use more skills and looked nicer. By the end of the decade, performance art became famous. Television and other popular culture began to affect performance art. Some artists, like Laurie Anderson, Spalding Gray, Eric Bogosian, Willem Dafoe, and Ann Magnuson, became well-known.

Critique and investigation of performance art

Even though many performance art shows were small, they helped people think about art and culture. In the 1980s, more books about performance art and its famous artists were published.

Performance art from a political context

In the 1980s, politics affected performance art a lot. Until the late 1980s, most communist governments did not allow performance art. In some countries, like the GDR, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, and Latvia, performance art happened in hidden places, such as apartments or churches. Artists found clever ways to show their opinions. One famous performance was by Tehching Hsieh between July 1983 and July 1984, called Art/Life: One Year Performance (Rope Piece).

Performance poetry

In 1982, people started using the words "poetry" and "performance" together. Performance poetry is different from performance art because it focuses more on speaking poems. Performance poets often come from poetry, while performance artists usually come from painting and sculpture. Many artists, like John Cage, mix poetry and performance in their work.

Feminist performance art

Main article: Feminist Performance Art

Feminist ideas began to appear in performance art in the 1980s. Artists started to call themselves feminists and worked to show women’s experiences and fight for equality. Groups like the Guerrilla Girls, who started in 1985 in New York City, used masks and posters to talk about unfair treatment of women and people of different races in the art world. Other important artists included Pina Bausch, Ana Mendieta, Louise Bourgeois, Lynda Benglis, Eleanor Antin, and Cindy Sherman. Sherman used herself in her photos to show ideas about women and art.

Cindy Sherman is an American photographer and artist. She showed her work for over three decades at the MoMA. Though she appears in her photos, she does not call them self-portraits. Sherman uses herself to show ideas about women in society and how they are shown in media.

Judy Chicago is an artist known for her big art pieces about women’s history and culture. In the 1970s, she started the first feminist art program in the United States. Her most famous work is The Dinner Party, which celebrates women’s achievements and is displayed in the Brooklyn Museum.

The Canadian art group Kiss & Tell, with members Persimmon Blackbridge, Lizard Jones, and Susan Stewart, used storytelling, photos, videos, and music to connect with audiences. They were inspired by artists like Emmy Hennings, Carolee Schneemann, Martha Rosler, and the Guerrilla Girls.

Students in a [Martha Rosler](/wiki/Martha_Rosler) exhibition

The [Guerrilla Girls](/wiki/Guerrilla_Girls) in an opening in London

Works of the 'Guerrilla Girls' in an exhibition in the [Museum of Modern Art](/wiki/Museum_of_Modern_Art), [Manhattan](/wiki/Manhattan), New York

[Guerrilla Girls](/wiki/Guerrilla_Girls) exhibition

• .jpg)

  Installation by Louise Bourgeois in a Brazilian museum

Portrait of [Judy Chicago](/wiki/Judy_Chicago)

Expansion to Latin America

In the 1980s, performance art spread to Latin America through university programs. It developed mainly in Mexico, Colombia, Brazil, and Argentina.

Ana Mendieta was a conceptual and performance artist from Cuba who grew up in the United States. She is known for her land art and performance pieces. Her work is often studied in feminist art.

Tania Bruguera is a Cuban artist who focuses on performance and political art. Her work explores power, control, and social issues in Cuba.

Regina José Galindo is a Guatemalan artist known for her performance art. Her work often deals with political and social issues.

1990s

The 1990s was a quiet time for classic European performance art, but it grew in other parts of the world. In Eastern Europe, performance art became very popular. Latin America also had a lot of activity, especially in feminist art. Asian countries, inspired by the Butō dance from the 1950s, began to make their performance art more professional. New artists from China gained recognition. More exhibitions focused on performance art, and it began to be shown at major events like the Venice Art Biennial, where artists such as Anne Imhof, Regina José Galindo, and Santiago Sierra won awards.

Performance with political context

As the Soviet Bloc broke apart, some performance art that was once forbidden began to appear. Young artists from Eastern Europe, including Russia, turned to performance art. Scenic arts also grew in Cuba, the Caribbean, and China. In these places, performance art became a powerful way to express ideas, similar to how it was used in Western Europe, the United States, and South America in earlier decades.

Professionalization of performance art

In the Western world during the 1990s, performance art started to become part of mainstream culture. Artworks, whether shown live, in photos, or through documentation, began to appear in galleries and museums. It wasn’t until the next decade that museums like the Tate Modern in London, the MoMA in New York City, and the Pompidou Centre in Paris began collecting performance art and holding big exhibitions. More artists were invited to important events such as the Venice Biennale, the Sao Paulo Biennial, and the Lyon Biennial.

Performance in China

In the late 1990s, Chinese contemporary art and performance art began to gain international attention, with 19 Chinese artists invited to the Venice Biennial. Performance art in China had been growing since the 1970s because of the country’s cultural interest in art, process, and tradition. By the 1990s, it was becoming well-known and part of fine arts education in China. Chinese performance art was already being praised in the international art world in the early 1990s.

• _(10787512893).jpg)

  Performance art in the Lyon Biennale

• _(10783977835).jpg)

  Performance art in the Lyon Biennale

• _(10168262204).jpg)

  Performance at the entrance of the Romanian Pavilion at the Venice Biennale

Performative installation by [Joseph Beuys](/wiki/Joseph_Beuys) in the [Tate Modern](/wiki/Tate_Modern) of London

• .jpg)

  Video installation with the Chinese artist Ai Weiwei

• .jpg)

  Tehching Hsieh exhibition in downtown New York City

China Pavilion at the Venice Biennale

Portrait of [Wang Xiaoshuai](/wiki/Wang_Xiaoshuai)

[Liu Xiaodong](/wiki/Liu_Xiaodong) during a performance artwork

Since the 2000s

New-media performance

In the late 1990s and early 2000s, artists started using technology like the internet, digital video, and webcams in their art. Artists such as Coco Fusco, Shu Lea Cheang, and Prema Murthy talked about topics like gender, race, and identity in their online shows. Others, like Critical Art Ensemble, Electronic Disturbance Theater, and Yes Men, used digital tools to talk about political issues like capitalism and consumerism.

Later in the 2000s, computer-based performance art grew. These pieces often used computers or robots as the main performers, leading to new types of art called algorithmic art, generative art, and robotic art.

Coco Fusco is a Cuban-American artist who explores themes of identity, race, and gender through her performances, videos, and writings.

Radical performance

During the 2000s and 2010s, some performance artists had trouble with the law for their work. Artists like Pussy Riot, Tania Bruguera, and Petr Pavlensky were arrested for their performances.

Pussy Riot

In 2012, the group Pussy Riot went into a church in Moscow to perform a song and dance against a political leader. They were later arrested and charged with damaging public property. Their case drew attention worldwide.

Others

Artist Abel Azcona faced charges for his powerful works.

Tania Bruguera was detained several times for her performances in Cuba.

Petr Pavlensky set fire to government buildings in protest, leading to his arrest.

Lia Garcia, known as la Novia Sirena, performed in a Mexico City prison.

Institutionalization of performance art / performance collecting processes

Since the 2000s, big museums have started to support and collect performance art. The Tate Modern in London began showing live performances, and the Museum of Modern Art in New York held a major show featuring the work of Marina Abramović. These institutions helped bring performance art into the world of museum collections.

Collective revindication performance art

In 2014, artist Emma Sulkowicz carried her mattress around her university campus to speak out about an incident she believed was not properly addressed. Her performance drew support and attention worldwide.

In 2019, a group in Chile created a performance to protest violence against women. This act inspired similar protests around the world, showing the power of collective action through art.