Hey Friends!
Today we are going to talk about a different form of creativity called Performance Art! What is that you ask? Performance Art is art that has to acted out live in front of an audience. This means that people have to be watching.
Usually paintings or sculptures are finished while the artist is alone and are shown to others later, but Performance Art does not work quite that way. Sometimes, artists practice what they are going to do by themselves, but still must try to do it the same way when they are ready to perform it. Other a performance artists try to show something more random and improvised. This means they don’t practice at all and just kind of wing it.
Performance Art can be used for a variety of reasons. Sometimes the artist wants to make a serious point about something important like global warming or world hunger. Other times, it’s more fun and humorous. It can be used to ask questions or show a personal story. Either way, it’s always interesting!
Improvise: to think of something right on the spot without having enough time to think about it or plan it out.
Usually paintings or sculptures are finished while the artist is alone and are shown to others later, but Performance Art does not work quite that way. Sometimes, artists practice what they are going to do by themselves, but still must try to do it the same way when they are ready to perform it. Other a performance artists try to show something more random and improvised. This means they don’t practice at all and just kind of wing it.
Performance Art can be used for a variety of reasons. Sometimes the artist wants to make a serious point about something important like global warming or world hunger. Other times, it’s more fun and humorous. It can be used to ask questions or show a personal story. Either way, it’s always interesting!
Improvise: to think of something right on the spot without having enough time to think about it or plan it out.
Marina Abromovic
Performance art can be any kind of performance put on by people for people to watch! Marina Abromovic is a famous performance artist who is widely known for her work.
One performance that got people to notice her was called “The Art is Present.” In her performance all she did was sit at a table a make eye contact with random people who sat across from her. It seems really simple, but eye contact isn’t easy. Sometimes looking at people makes us nervous or makes us want to laugh or look away. She would stare at the other person for longer than usual. People came from all over to watch it!
One performance that got people to notice her was called “The Art is Present.” In her performance all she did was sit at a table a make eye contact with random people who sat across from her. It seems really simple, but eye contact isn’t easy. Sometimes looking at people makes us nervous or makes us want to laugh or look away. She would stare at the other person for longer than usual. People came from all over to watch it!
After she looks at a bunch of strangers over and over again, she finally gets to look at someone she knows who is an old friend. This changes everything!
How do you feel when you accidentally look at a stranger? How do you feel when you look at your mom or dad? Is it different or the same?
Eye contact means different things for different people and it all connects back to how we feel. Some animals even get flushed or upset if you make eye contact with them. All of these different ideas that connect to this are why we consider this art. It makes us look at the world differently!
This Performance Art happened at the Museum of Modern Art. Below, you can see a short clip of the Performance. Do you think she was expecting to see her old friend?
How do you feel when you accidentally look at a stranger? How do you feel when you look at your mom or dad? Is it different or the same?
Eye contact means different things for different people and it all connects back to how we feel. Some animals even get flushed or upset if you make eye contact with them. All of these different ideas that connect to this are why we consider this art. It makes us look at the world differently!
This Performance Art happened at the Museum of Modern Art. Below, you can see a short clip of the Performance. Do you think she was expecting to see her old friend?
Murakami Saburo “Passing Through”
This Artist did a Performance called “Passing Through.” It was about beauty. This Japanese artist had to break through a few walls of papers. He had to use the strength of his body to get through every time. He had to use energy and force, but eventually he makes it through the last sheet of paper.
He is using his body to represent how sometimes we have to push through our own thoughts to do a good job at something. Have you ever had a hard time doing something and thought you would never get it right? How did you feel when you finally were able to do it, like learning how to ride you bike or doing a hard math problem? It feels great after you push through the hard part! That’s exactly what this Performance Art is about.
He is using his body to represent how sometimes we have to push through our own thoughts to do a good job at something. Have you ever had a hard time doing something and thought you would never get it right? How did you feel when you finally were able to do it, like learning how to ride you bike or doing a hard math problem? It feels great after you push through the hard part! That’s exactly what this Performance Art is about.
Justin Hodges
Justin is an artist who created a piece that didn’t involve people but still put on a performance for people who saw it during its exhibition. This piece would break stones into smaller pieces in real life! It was noisy and rough, but it was still cool to watch. The picture hanging behind the stones is a painting by Gustauve Courbet. It’s been changed up a little bit to create a three-dimensional (3D) version of something that was flat on a canvas. Imagine how cool this must have been!
Do you think you could ever be a performance artist?
What would you want to show other people if you were?
What would you want to show other people if you were?
