Affects and the performativity in performing arts

Abstract

International audienceHow can we study the performativity of the aesthetic experiences brought about by performative arts in a way that could help us make sense of organizational and political aspects involved? The question of performativity has recently received a renewed interest in organization studies, using very different takes on the concept (e.g. Spicer et al., 2009; MacKenzie et al., 2008; Cabantous & Gond, 2010; Hodgson, 2005); with some of them directly referring to the arts (e.g. Tyler & Cohen, 2010; Steyaert et al., 2012; Cornelissen, 2004). Performative arts can be seen as an organization of performativity: they rest on an organization that seeks to be performative by providing aesthetic experiences. This performativity entails many political aspects, among them a distribution of the sensible that assigns places and roles (Rancière, 2004), a minor usage of major norms (Deleuze, 1997), an address to the audience that triggers affects and estrangements, etc. Hence studying performativity in performing arts may help broaden our interpretation of organizational behaviors