The ephemeral and its materialisations. Towards a redefinition of performance art

There is a broad consensus in the art world that performance can be defined as an action that takes place within a certain time and space. There is also a theoretical debate in regard to documenting performance art. The position of the established paradigm on performance art documentation has been rebutted in practice on two fronts: that the very history of performance art is not consistent with constant disappearance; and regarding how performance art is treated in contemporary art museums. Performance art was eventually museified in the 1990s, completely adapting to the rules of the museum. The paper proposes a redefinition of performance that takes its materialization seriously: its ephemeral nature, the action and the co-presence of the public

Las materializaciones circulantes de la performance: una tipología

La performance se ha definido como una acción artística determinada por su condición efímera. Ello ha supuesto que la incorporación de la performance a los circuitos institucionales y comerciales del arte se haya servido principalmente de su materialización. La atención académica en torno a este fenómeno se ha centrado sobre todo en la categoría de documentación y lo ha hecho, a menudo, con vocación histórica. Este artículo, movido por un interés tipológico y no diacrónico, propone una clasificación de las diversas vías de materialización de la performance que no está basada en el tipo de soporte de su registro (vídeo, fotografía, etc.), sino, más ampliamente, en la relación espacio-temporal entre la performance y diversos materiales. Dicha clasificación bascula sobre las categorías de objeto y documento.; Performance art has been defined as an artistic action determined by its ephemeral condition. This has meant that the incorporation of performance into the institutional and commercial circuits of art has been mainly served by its materialization. Academic attention to this phenomenon has mainly focused on the category of documentation and has often done so with a historical vocation. This article, driven by a typological and non-diachronic interest, proposes a classification of the various ways of materializing performance that is not based on the type of support of its record (video, photography, etc.), but, more broadly, in the spatio-temporal relationship between performance and various materials. This classification is divided on the categories of object and document

Towards a redefinition of performance art from its documentation. A suspicion on its entrance into the museum

Desde su surgimiento a finales de los 50, la performance se ha definido como una acción efímera que transcurre en copresencia física del artista y el espectador en un lugar y tiempo determinados. De esta definición ontológica de la performance se ha derivado con frecuencia la imposibilidad de su documentación, con el argumento de que esta resultaría infiel a su propia razón de ser. Pero lo cierto es que este paradigma se ha visto desmentido en la práctica en dos sentidos: de un lado, por la propia historia de la performance, que no obedece a una constante desaparición, y, de otro, por el trato que recibe la performance en los museos de arte contemporáneo. Tomando conciencia de esta situación y recogiendo el debate generado por la permanencia de la performance, esta investigación propone una nueva comprensión de la performance que tenga en cuenta la relevancia de su materialización.Since its inception at the end of the 1950s, performance has been defined as an ephemeral action that takes place in the physical co-presence of both the artist and the spectator in a certain place and at a specific time. This ontological definition of performance has o%en resulted in it being impossible to document, on the grounds that this would be contrary to its own raison d’être. But the truth is that this paradigm has been debunked in practice in two ways: firstly, by the history of performance art itself, which has resisted permanent disappearance, and secondly, by the treatment afforded to performance art in contemporary art museums. By raising awareness of this situation and acknowledging the debate generated by the permanence of performance, this study proposes a new understanding of performance that takes into account the importance of its materialisation

Documenting the Ephemeral: reconsidering the idea of presence in discussions on performance

The category of presence plays a major role in the most accepted definitions of performance art. This centrality of the ephemeral presence of the artist’s body has prevented an appreciation of performance documentation in all its importance. Taking Peggy Phelan’s position as representative of the prevailing paradigm, this article presents its main objections and intends to broaden the concept of presence in its application to performance to accommodate the documentation processes

The ephemeral and its materialisations. Towards a redefinition of performance art

There is a broad consensus in the art world that performance can be defined as an action that takes place within a certain time and space. There is also a theoretical debate in regard to documenting performance art. The position of the established paradigm on performance art documentation has been rebutted in practice on two fronts: that the very history of performance art is not consistent with constant disappearance; and regarding how performance art is treated in contemporary art museums. Performance art was eventually museified in the 1990s, completely adapting to the rules of the museum. The paper proposes a redefinition of performance that takes its materialization seriously: its ephemeral nature, the action and the co-presence of the public

Hacia una redefinición de la performance a partir de su documentación. Una sospecha sobre su ingreso en el museo

Since its inception at the end of the 1950s, performance has been defined as an ephemeral action that takes place in the physical co-presence of both the artist and the spectator in a certain place and at a specific time. This ontological definition of performance has o%en resulted in it being impossible to document, on the grounds that this would be contrary to its own raison d’être. But the truth is that this paradigm has been debunked in practice in two ways: firstly, by the history of performance art itself, which has resisted permanent disappearance, and secondly, by the treatment afforded to performance art in contemporary art museums. By raising awareness of this situation and acknowledging the debate generated by the permanence of performance, this study proposes a new understanding of performance that takes into account the importance of its materialisation.Desde su surgimiento a finales de los 50, la performance se ha definido como una acción efímera que transcurre en copresencia física del artista y el espectador en un lugar y tiempo determinados. De esta definición ontológica de la performance se ha derivado con frecuencia la imposibilidad de su documentación, con el argumento de que esta resultaría infiel a su propia razón de ser. Pero lo cierto es que este paradigma se ha visto desmentido en la práctica en dos sentidos: de un lado, por la propia historia de la performance, que no obedece a una constante desaparición, y, de otro, por el trato que recibe la performance en los museos de arte contemporáneo. Tomando conciencia de esta situación y recogiendo el debate generado por la permanencia de la performance, esta investigación propone una nueva comprensión de la performance que tenga en cuenta la relevancia de su materialización

El selfie como performance de la identidad. Explorando la performatividad de la auto-imagen desde el arte de acción

La actual proliferación de selfies en las redes sociales online permite contemplar con especial crudeza las condiciones en que se desarrolla hoy la (continua) construcción de la identidad individual por medios visuales. Frente al sujeto sólido y autónomo que se representaba a sí mismo en el autorretrato tradicional, el selfie propone una identidad provisional y condicionada siempre a la reacción del resto de usuarios de cualquier red social. El presente artículo tratará de arrojar luz sobre esta peculiar capacidad subjetivadora del selfie, conciliando diversas aportaciones teóricas procedentes de disciplinas como la teoría del arte, la sociología ordinaria, la filosofía política o los Performance Studies. Se analizará el selfie como dispositivo performativo de construcción de identidad. Posteriormente, nos ocuparemos de otra forma de performatividad de la imagen, en diálogo con las reflexiones de Philip Auslander en torno a la documentación fotográfica de acciones artísticas. Ambas esferas, la del arte de acción y la del ecosistema de identidades de las redes sociales online, se analizarán en las propuestas de Amalia Ulman, Kate Durbin y Milo Moiré: tres performers que ponen en el centro de su trabajo la acción misma de tomar un selfie o compartirlo. Como tratará de mostrarse, la ambigua literalidad de su gesto visibiliza las contradictorias condiciones que rigen hoy la construcción performativa de la propia identidad, constatando así la potencia del arte como índice crítico de los avatares contemporáneos de la imagen y sus efectos sociales.; The current proliferation of selfies in online social networks allows us to contemplate, with particular crudity, the conditions under which the (continuous) construction of individual identity takes place today through visual means. In contrast to the solid and autonomous subject that represented itself on traditional self-portrait, the selfie stages a provisional identity, always conditioned to the reactions of other users of any social network. The present article will try to shed light on this peculiar subjectivating capacity of the selfie, by conciliating diverse theoretical contributions from disciplines like Theory of Art, Ordinary Sociology, Political Philosophy or Performance Studies. The selfie will be analyzed as a performative device for the construction of identity. Subsequently, we shall approach another form of performativity of the image, in dialogue with Philip Auslander’s reflections on photographic documentation of artistic actions. Both spheres, the art of action and the ecosystem of identities of online social networks, will be analyzed in the proposals of Amalia Ulman, Kate Durbin and Milo Moiré: three performers who put at the center of their work the very action of taking or sharing a selfie. As we shall try to show, the ambiguous literality of their gesture makes visible the contradictory circumstances under which identity is currently performed and built, thus highlighting art’s potential as a critical index of contemporary conditions of images and their social effects

Precarious actions: working conditions of contemporary art through performance

Este texto se centra en la relación entre la performance, la performatividad y la precariedad en el arte contemporáneo, a través del análisis de algunas piezas de artista como las realizadas por Mierle Laderman Ukeles (Denver, Colorado, 1939), Andrea Fraser (Billings, Montana, 1965) y Santiago Sierra (Madrid, 1966). Para ello se consideran las aportaciones teóricas realizadas desde los estudios de la performance y desde la teoría social, en concreto las aportaciones de Victor Turner, Judith Butler e Isabell Lorey. Los objetivos que se persiguen son dos: la primera, establecer la conexión entre las nociones de precariedad y performatividad y, la segunda, aplicar un análisis a las performances seleccionadas. La hipótesis del texto parte de entender que desde el análisis de estas piezas pueden extrapolarse algunas conclusiones generales sobre la precariedad a las condiciones de trabajo del arte contemporáneo.ABSTRACT: This text focuses on the relationship between performance art, performativity and job insecurity in contemporary art, through the analysis of works of some artist that are considered to be relevant: Mierle Laderman Ukeles (Denver, Colorado, 1939), Andrea Fraser (Billings, Montana, 1965) and Santiago Sierra (Madrid, 1966). To this aim, contributions around these concepts from performance studies and social theory are considered, specifically the writings of Victor Turner, Judith Butler and Isabell Lorey. The objectives are two: the first, to establish the connection between the notions of precariousness and performativity and, the second, to apply an analysis to the selected works. We have started from the hypothesis that the analysis of these performances, can be used to extrapolated some general conclusions about the precariousness to working conditions of contemporary art

Acciones precarias: Condiciones de trabajo del arte contemporáneo a través de la performance

This text focuses on the relationship between performance art, performativity and job insecurity in contemporary art, through the analysis of works of some artist that are considered to be relevant: Mierle Laderman Ukeles (Denver, Colorado, 1939), Andrea Fraser (Billings, Montana, 1965) and Santiago Sierra (Madrid, 1966). To this aim, contributions around these concepts from performance studies and social theory are considered, specifically the writings of Victor Turner, Judith Butler and Isabell Lorey. The objectives are two: the first, to establish the connection between the notions of precariousness and performativity and, the second, to apply an analysis to the selected works.We have started from the hypothesis that the analysis of theseperformances, can be used to extrapolated some general conclusions about the precariousness to working conditions ofcontemporary art.Este texto se centra en la relación entre la performance, la performatividad y la precariedad en el arte contemporáneo, a través del análisis de algunas piezas de artista como las realizadas por Mierle Laderman Ukeles (Denver, Colorado, 1939), Andrea Fraser (Billings, Montana, 1965) y Santiago Sierra (Madrid, 1966). Para ello se consideran las aportaciones teóricas realizadas desde los estudios de la performance y desde la teoría social, en concreto las aportaciones de Victor Turner, Judith Butler e Isabell Lorey. Los objetivos que se persiguen son dos: la primera, establecer la conexión entre las nociones de precariedad y performatividad y, la segunda, aplicar un análisis a las performances seleccionadas. La hipótesis del texto parte de entender que desde el análisis de estas piezas pueden extrapolarse algunas conclusiones generales sobre la precariedad a las condiciones de trabajo del arte contemporáneo

Documenting the Ephemeral: reconsidering the idea of presence in discussions on performance

The category of presence plays a major role in the most accepted definitions of performance art. This centrality of the ephemeral presence of the artist’s body has prevented an appreciation of performance documentation in all its importance. Taking Peggy Phelan’s position as representative of the prevailing paradigm, this article presents its main objections and intends to broaden the concept of presence in its application to performance to accommodate the documentation processes.La présence, en tant que catégorie, joue un rôle majeur parmi les plus acceptées des définitions de l’art de la performance. Le caractère central que prend la présence éphémère du corps de l’artiste a empêché que l’on puisse apprécier la documentation de la performance à sa juste valeur. En prenant l’approche de Peggy Phelan autour de la documentation de la performance en tant que représentant du paradigme dominant, cet article présente les principales objections et propose d’élargir l’usage fait du concept de présence dans la performance, afin de tenir compte du processus de documentation.The category of presence plays a major role in the most accepted definitions of performance art. This centrality of the ephemeral presence of the artist’s body has prevented an appreciation of performance documentation in all its importance. Taking Peggy Phelan’s position as representative of the prevailing paradigm, this article presents its main objections and intends to broaden the concept of presence in its application to performance to accommodate the documentation processes