Department / Programme: Liberal Arts/ Electives Course Title: Introduction to Performance Art Course Code:
Credit Rating:
Duration of the Course: 16 Weeks/ 32 hours Instructor: Sara Vaqar Pagganwala
Course Description
‘The line between art and life should be kept as fluid, and perhaps indistinct, as possible’. – Allan Kaprow
The Introduction to Performance Art provides an extensive understanding of the respective movements in its history as well as the way performance is understood today. It also demonstrates how one is able to use space, place, time and most importantly your body to produce and become your work within visual arts. We will be questioning and unpacking and repacking thoughts and philosophies regarding it as to why and what performance art has done as Roselee Goldberg puts it below,
‘ The history of performance art is integral to the history of art. It has changed the shape and direction of art history over the last 100 years, and it’s time that its extensive influence is properly understood. Throughout art history, performance ( think Futurism, Dada, Surrealism…) has been the starting point for some of the most radical ideas that have changed the way we- artists and audiences think about art… Whenever a certain school, be it Cubism, Minimalism, or conceptual art seemed to have reached an impasse, artists have turned to performance as a way of breaking down categories and indicating new directions’.
Course Objectives
The course aims to give students and understanding of performance art throughout its history till current day, what it is and how it is used. It seeks to encourage students to confront themselves and investigate their identities to slowly be able to apply themselves as an extension of their practice. Learning Objectives are mentioned before each project. Course expectation requires full, active participation. It will be a challenging semester, intense readings and discussions as well as having to physically perform in front of your peers. There will be trust building exercises through out the course. List of materials is given at the end of every lecture.
Intended Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of the course students should be able to:
-Demonstrate a good understanding of the different movements that make performance art Demonstrate experimentation and inventiveness in their practice/ be able to unpack given philosophies -Demonstrate a critical awareness of bodies of knowledge inherent in other contexts -Be able to articulate specific issues and be able to identify the research or practical preparation called for by identified questions and issues in the forms of research and analysis -Personal and professional development /collaborative and /or independent professional working -Learn to use and advocate the body as an extension of the mind and as a delegate of your art
Learning and Teaching Activities
The course requires you to complete your projects in a timely fashion, all projects/ essays/ assignments received late will receive a grade reduction. The Critiques are just as important as the work itself. Active participation is required, keeping in mind to be constructive and helpful. Readings/power point presentations/ screenings are all an integral part of the course, make sure you do the reading before hand when required so as to be actively participating through the lecture. Where possible, there will be guest lectures and gallery visits.
Course Assessment Methods
500 word Manifesto: 20% 1000 word research paper: 40% Performance: 15% Group presentation: 25%
Resource / Reading List
See Weekly Course Plan
Assignment Briefs
Write a 500 word Manifesto Write a 1000 word analytical research paper on any one particular movement, focussing on at least 3 of the artists belonging to it 10 min presentation on your research (breaking social anxieties) 10-15 min performance followed by a group critique
WEEKLY COURSE PLAN
Introduction to the course, outline, brief overview of what performance art is, unpacking thoughts/ ideas
Class Reading: http://readingbetween.org/artwhichcantbeart.pdf
Week 1 Reading for next class: Chapter 1 of Performance: Live Art Since the '60s, Roselee Goldberg
Assignment 1: Bring food as a statement that best describes you. Assignment 2: Collect all ways performance is used in daily life
Potluck- Food as an extension of the being/Each speaks about their food and their relevance to it.
Discussion of reading, followed by slide show presentation of what performance art is, how it started, briefly going over movements to be covered.
Ice breaking activities- trust circle Week 2 Discussion of assignment followed by impromptu performances, using your body.
Reading for next class: http://www.arts.rpi.edu/public_html/century/MMC11/Goldberg.futuristPerf.pdf
Intro to Futurism, followed by in depth study of the Futurist movement with slide show presentation. Discuss reading. Follow up by a group reading of the Futurist Manifesto: http://vserver1.cscs.lsa.umich.edu/~crshalizi/T4PM/futurist-manifesto.html Week 3 Talk about manifestos, what they are, what they mean, their uses.
Assignment for next class: write your own manifesto(500 words)
Intro to Dadaism Group Reading: The Dada manifesto http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Dada_Manifesto_(1916,_Hugo_Ball)
Make a Dadaist poem/Tristan Tzara
Watch ABC of Dada/ Brief debate and discussion Week http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EqkIJ0odFxA 4 http://www.youtube.com.s11.en.wbprx.com/watch?v=hJICH4R9n8w http://www.youtube.com.s11.en.wbprx.com/watch?v=yprAZPx5hXs
Assignment for next class: write poetry, costume, 3 min performance for next class/ experimental literature
Performances Intro to Surrealism/ Bauhaus
Watch: - Parade by Erik Satie, Pablo Picasso, Jean Cacteau and Leonide Massine followed by discussion http://www.youtube.com.s11.en.wbprx.com/watch?v=_Chq1Ty0nyE
-Les mamelles de Tirésias 03.19.11 http://www.youtube.com.s11.en.wbprx.com/watch?v=etm2MgLEamY
-Relache Photomontage set to the original music, Dada/Surrealist ballet by Francis Picabia, music by Erik Satie http://www.youtube.com.s11.en.wbprx.com/watch?v=Kvc6vIWQxT8
-Salvatore Dali and Performance Art http://www.youtube.com.s11.en.wbprx.com/watch?v=qlW0IFujpog
-Jet of Blood by Artaud Week http://www.youtube.com.s11.en.wbprx.com/watch?v=yYFz5_abtE8&list=PL6E5541B42C6E6A3D 5/6 To be concluded by another performance, using what you have then and there to make a human chain. Assignment for next class: select a surrealist artist from amongst the ones discussed and re-enact a surrealist meeting, you may want to bring in props!
Further viewings (optional): Un Chien Andalou (1929)- Salvatore Dali L'Étoile de mer by Man Ray (1928) L'Âge d'or by Luis Buñuel and Salvador Dalí (1930)
Further readings (optional): First and Second Surrealism Manifesto by Andre Breton (1924) pg. 1-48/ 117- 194 http://new-territories.com/blog/2013GSAPP-UPENN/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/Pages-de- manisfesto2.pdf
Intro to Bauhaus and Constructivism
Viewing of the Triadic Ballet followed by discussion http://www.youtube.com.s11.en.wbprx.com/watch?v=8c6B7VKfdW4
Group Reading on Constructivism: http://people.brunel.ac.uk/dap/BauhausConstructivism.pdf Week 6 *Bauhaus event, pick from one of the gatherings and produce your own costumes (if possible, get an extra day/ weekend to spend in true Bauhaus manner)
Reading for next class: http://www.acastronovo.com/ClassHtms/ClassDocs/Goldberg06b.pdf
Assignment for next class: Bring 5 pieces of newsprint sheet, masking tape and any medium of paint
Introduction to Post War Performance Art Movement/ Black Mountain College/ Action Painting/ Abstract Expressionism/ Happenings
Viewing and Discussion on:
John Cage and his piece 4’33’’ http://www.youtube.com.s11.en.wbprx.com/watch?v=JTEFKFiXSx4
Merce Cunningham http://www.youtube.com.s11.en.wbprx.com/watch?v=jQTFZNm3dE4
18 Happenings in 6 Parts http://www.youtube.com.s11.en.wbprx.com/watch?v=FoWebd-dAaI
Followed by discussion of respective artists and work as mentioned within the movements
Discuss modern day examples: Week 7 Flash Mobs, Subway Parties, Pillow Fight Flash mob, Silent Disco
Class activity: take newsprint and paint, using your body as a medium
Further viewings (optional): http://fullyawake.org/
Assignment 1. For next class: Think of a Happening situation within university premises (if permission is given, have an interactive performance with other students) Assignment 2. For next class: bring any piece of used clothing, clothes Reading for next class: Fluxus Manifesto http://www.artnotart.com/fluxus/gmaciunas-manifesto.html
Intro to Fluxes Art
Discuss: Performance, Land, Graffiti Art
Brief intro to Neo-Dada
Activity: re-enact Yoko Ono’s cut piece, make an art piece from the cuttings
Week 8
Intro to Viennese Actionists
View and Discuss works of Günter Brus https://slought.org/resources/primal_secretions
Otto Mühl Art and Revolution, Piss Action http://www.archivesmuehl.org/acten.html
Hermann Nitsch http://www.saatchigallery.com/artists/hermann_nitsch.htm
Rudolf Schwarzkogler http://www.youtube.com.s11.en.wbprx.com/watch?v=649YQnVSndI Week 9 Valie Export http://www.youtube.com.s11.en.wbprx.com/watch?v=B3R2qCEFnUU
Brief Intro to Auto Destructive Art: Discuss Gustav Metzger
Discuss Survival Research Laboratories
Reading for next class: Performance: pt.1. Identity and the self, edited by Philip Auslander
http://books.google.com.pk/books?id=7XNNL6Qc3Z4C&pg=PA251&dq=feminism+in+performanc e+art&hl=en&sa=X&ei=1IF0U8zqHcu_PPDWgJgJ&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=feminism%20in% 20performance%20art&f=false pgs. 256-296
Intro to Feminism in performance art
Discuss reading
Discuss artist in the respective movement Week 10 Reading for next class: Art and Globalization James Elkins, Zhivka Valiavicharska, Alice Kim
http://books.google.com.pk/books?id=F3u7JkQspv4C&pg=PA169&dq=gutai+movement&hl=en&s a=X&ei=8oR0U4fiDca8PabUgZAH&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=gutai%20movement&f=false
Intro to the Situationist Movement
View and Discuss Situationist film: http://www.ubu.com/film/si.html Week Tino Sehgal 11
Intro to the Gutai Movement
Discuss Reading/ respective artists of the movements
Intro to Pakistani Performance Artists
Assignment for next class: This will be followed by a 10-minute individual student presentation based on your research
Student Presentations
Week 12
Class Activity: Students may wish to group themselves and work collaboratively or may work individually. You will pick out a random movement of performance art from a bowl and prepare your final Performance Piece for a critical group evaluation.
Start working on performances Week 13 Assignment for next class: Write a 1000 word analytical piece on a specific movement of performance art of your choice, reflecting on at least three respective artists that are a part of that movement. The body of writing must show thorough research, and feel free to experiment with your writing!
Performances followed by group evaluations Week 14 Assignment hand-in
Week Spare week/ discussions/ Field Trips (tbc) 15 Spare week/ discussions/ Field Trips (tbc) Week 16
Week
17