Place in the Market
Oct 12, 2001
LIVE ART, LIVE AUDIENCE
The question of audience is rarely raised when discussing performance art, as there is no other discipline of art that puts greater emphasis on the presence of the artist, their own psychosomatic condition. Performance art – or more accurately – action art – is by definition the art of presence. The ‘act of presence’ can, theoretically, take place without the presence of anyone else, and one could argue that an occurrence of a performance art piece could also happen in such a detached context.
But in case of performance art ‘as we know it’, the gathering of spectators is still a condition for the piece to be recognised. The situation is therefore ‘theatrical’ in its personal arrangement: there is the one who ‘acts’, and the one who observes. For that reason, it is sometimes difficult to put a finger on the distinction between the ‘performative’, and the ‘theatrical’, or, more simply: explain how does
A performer is not an actor or entertainer – and is not there to please, or show work perfected through practising. He/she is there to use the self as a medium to convey a piece of visual poetry of the moment, while the audience is not expected to give or do anything in return. But on the level of exchange of intuitive energy – the two ‘sides’ still need each other. In the case of an actor (dancer, singer...), we are given an account of talent or skill, that is to be appreciated, while the performer gives an account of integrity (rather than professionalism), that may, but does not have to be taken or accepted. It is like an offer of an intimate relationship based on the freedom of choice. And on this level, as in life, it does not matter whether the audience is there intentionally to witness a piece of art, or just happens to be there, unaware of coming across an artistic intervention. But the reaction of that last group, although sometimes lacking of critical artistic understanding, probably confirms more fully to the essence of performance art practice – which is to participate in life and the world around us, not just in art.
With a contribution to this discourse in mind, Bbeyond chose to organise our first live art event at St. George’s Market in Belfast. It is the place where people of all paths of life (and streets of Belfast...) come to do their weekly shopping, guaranteed a multitude of choice, and a shelter from the rain... Belfast needs live art like it needs good weather – it is not a necessity, but it helps. Or at least we feel, that putting some poetry into the city’s everyday life is the best we can do to inspire the shift of consciousness from ‘tribal’ to individual – in the most positive, human and reflective sense - while giving the audience the freedom of choice to accept the offer, or not.
Each one of the artists invited to take part in the event has chosen a different way of marking their own space: occupying a stall, a small free space, or even an entrance to the building. As the result of the placement, their performances became, in the eyes of the audience, integral with the personalities that are optional within the context of the market – the trader, the customer, or someone lost in the crowd.
Consequently, the responses varied from the friendly and genuinely curious towards the sceptical, as long as art was not becoming a ‘competition’ to the business – in which cases a few artists experienced some hostility. The question most often directed towards them and the organisers, with varying tone of voice, was: ‘is it art’?
Live art has its own history and forever discussed criteria of valuation. Currently, apart from the natural development of performance’s existing language, we can observe a split in two opposite directions – the ‘spectacular’ and the ‘integral’ – one that stands out in relation to ordinary life experience, and one that melts into it. One aims to present the complete ‘work of art’ to the audience that is prepared for viewing of a spectacle, and one, more often called a ‘project’, or a ‘process’, that encapsulates the act of living to the extend that it can pass unnoticed.
If the main aim of contemporary art is to reflect its own time, then performance art and the division within its practice probably gives the most trustworthy picture. There is more and more space devoted to live art in the press and media, and, even more significantly, there is a multitude of festivals and events happening around the world. There is an obvious attraction and freshness in the ‘spectacular’ option of approaching performance, especially considering the possibilities opened through new media and technology. But realising events of that calibre requires particular spaces, technical crews and...funding. In consequence, it is becoming rare to see live art outside of a physical or at least conceptual ‘space’ dominated by a stable institution. The ‘gallery’ context, like the context of ‘spectacle’ and ‘performing arts’, also frees the organisers from dealing with that always occurring question – is performance art – art?
Performance is slowly becoming a more and more established and mainstream practice – which is very positive from the point of view of opening possibilities of appreciation for artistically focused audiences. But it is the bringing of live art to those audiences who will always ask the question, that stands for performance art, like life itself, never fully becoming establishment.
