𝚙𝚎𝚛𝚏𝚘𝚛𝚖𝚊𝚗𝚌𝚎 𝚊𝚛𝚝 - 𝙲𝙰𝚃

Cut Piece (1964)

Performance art is a type of art where artists use their body and/or actions to create live experiences rather than traditional forms like painting or sculptures. Even traditional theatre differs from performance art because it doesn't follow one clear narrative, the audience has to feel connected or pulled in to understand the emotions or ideas being expressed in order to feel moved. This usually can include participation, emotion, and interaction happening in the moment. Since it is happening real-time or for a quick moment, the focus is on the message. It is something that is fleeting in nature. An example is Yoko Ono's Cut Piece, where Ono sat on stage while the audience was invited to cut pieces of her clothes. Involving her audience in the performance shows vulnerability. People can see her as strong for being so open and makes them think about themselves as well in return. 

Yoko Ono’s Art of Defiance | The New Yorker

"Ono's work has long insisted on the viewer's participation, implicating the audience in the act"

Involving the audience with her work creates a community, where connections lead to understandings.  

"She turned vulnerability into a kind of strength, using her body as both subject and medium"

In using her own body, she's putting herself in a vulnerable state making the audience feel strength rather than weakness. 

The Art of Activism | Steve Duncombe & Steve Lambert

"Activism is not only about making demands but about making meaning"

You cannot expect change if you, or the audience you're expecting to change, don't understand the problem at hand. Connection matters when brining people together because unity is a strong force that is formed with understanding.   

"Effective political action often depends on spectacle, performance, and the ability to capture attention"  

Similar to memes, in order for something to be striking in nature it has to be different, uncomfortable, questionable. Sparking curiosity almost always pulls in an audience. Even if it is a quick look, just grabbing someone's attention for a second can be impactful. 

Performance Art | The Art Assignment & Dr. Virginia B. Spivey

"The live, ephemeral nature of performance art means that it cannot be bought, sold, or traded as a commodity"

Since performance art exists only in the moment, unlike paintings or sculptures, it cannot be owned or sold out.  It is meant to be felt, in many ways similar to emotions. 

"At its best, it taps into our most basic shared instincts: our physical and psychological needs for food, shelter, sex, and human interaction; our individual fears and self-consciousness; our concerns about life, the future, and the world we live in. It often forces us to think about issues in a way that can be disturbing and uncomfortable, but it can also make us laugh by calling attention to the absurdities in life and the idiosyncrasies of human behavior.

Although performance art can sometimes be brushed off due to negative narratives (boring or weird), it is the most human way to connect ideas with other people. Bringing attention to important matters sometimes can be uncomfortable but tapping into those feelings in the moment forces you to listen, even if it is just for a few minutes. Reminds me of another quote that's been around for some time now, something along the lines of "Art should comfort the disturbed and disturb the comfortable".