[epapop id=’3958′]

The genre of performance art, provocative and sometimes divides society: aesthetes admire, and the townsfolk are outraged and demand to punish the author. Take stock Peter Pavlensky for which the artist repeatedly brought to trial. Not only the performances with political overtones, and artistic experiments in the realm of sexuality and physical contact cause a violent reaction. Where is the line between perverted instincts and high art? Try to find the answer in retrospect, the most controversial performances at the century looms.
the

Physicality

Cute MUAR: the “Mirror box”

In the summer of 2016 Cute MUAR, was arrested by the London police during a performance of “Mirror box”. The artist who has made this campaign in several cities, appeared in Trafalgar square and invited passersby to touch her genitals, putting his hands in the mirror box, worn like a skirt. Nice announced that its performance is a continuation of the rally, which was held in Cologne after a series of rapes. Through his speech, the girl drew public attention to the problem of mutual consent during sexual intercourse. She prizvali to respect women and to always remember that only they have the right to decide “when and how is anyone to touch them”, and when it is unacceptable.

Valie Export: “Haptic cinema”

Nearly half a century before the Moire young artist Valie Export took to the streets of Vienna in a cardboard box with a curtain covering her bare chest. Was the audience informed that this box is the cinema hall, the girl’s body, and the common view they will replace the touch. Using his own body as the main instrument, Vali has researched the problem of sexual objectification. In this case, she exploited the audience, engaging them in an unusual game. In 1969, the artist spent new performance, appearing at the session in the cinema in trousers with a hole cut out between his legs. She walked between the rows, occasionally turning to the audience. The audience was confused, because with the manifestation of female sexuality in such an extravagant form of many of them faced for the first time.

Boryana Rossa: “Deconstruction tactile cinema”

Idea Export was continued in the works of actionistic the next era. Boryana Rossa, the Bulgarian artist who beat cancer thanks to the procedure of mastectomy (removal of breast tissue) and created one of the most spectacular performances of physicality. In 2013, Boryana has deconstructed the action of Valie Export. The girl herself put on the box with the curtain and asked everyone to touch her body — only to discover there chest the audience could not.
the

Gender

Judy Chicago: “the Trilogy of birth”

“Trilogy of birth” (1972) — one of the last performances by Judy Chicago — vaguely resembled a child’s game in a trickle. Some of the girls stood in a dense column and with all the forces “push”, while the other participants of the presentation crawled between her legs, pretending to born children. “Babies” holding hands and singing songs, which became louder and louder, and in the end passed into some frenzied animal scream. Twenty participants of the performance tried to immerse the audience in a condition that a woman experiences in childbirth. Judy often complained that aktivistki almost turning to the topic of motherhood — whether because they lack experience, or because they avoid the problems of gender roles, being in captivity for many a taboo.

Elena Kovylina: a series of performances

In his submissions, Elena Kovylina has repeatedly covered the topic of gender stereotypes. Performance “Do it yourself” (1999) — illustration of obedience, women dependent on the decisions of men. Wearing a noose around his neck, she stood on a stool and offered the representatives of the stronger sex to take it out. The performance “Boxing” (2005) was devoted to the theme of feminine weakness. Elena came out to the ring and waited for the enemy, and then tried to stay on his feet at least a few rounds. About the emotional instability says “Waltz” (2005), during which the dancing girl was literally unconscious, drinking a glass of vodka after each round to which she invited at first intrigued and then frightened men.
the

Relations

Marina Abramovic and olai: a series of performances

The story of abramović and Ulay — a vivid example of how relations within the couple becomes part of the performance. Before meeting with German artist Marina Abramovic has tried to explore facets of his own body and mind, but met a loved one, turned to the subject of spiritual merging men and women.

“Relations in space”

One of their first joint installations of Marina and Ulay was represented in the Venice Biennale in 1976. Naked artists quickly moved around the hall, faced, and then dispersed again, repeating this for several hours. The actionist tried to combine the power of both sexes to produce a third creature, which they dubbed “ThatSelf” (“the entity”).

“Inhale/exhale”

“Breath” show that the couple spent in Amsterdam in 1978. Marina and the Wulai connected their mouths with a special device, and breathe the exhalations of each other until the oxygen ran out. The presentation lasted about 15 minutes, after which they both fell to the floor unconscious. In this view, artists have tried to show that the lovers can support each other’s lives, at the same time its taking.

“rest Energy”

The performance, which took place in Dublin in 1980, Marina and olai dedicated to the limitless confidence between close friends. They stood opposite each other and didn’t look. Abramovich was holding a combat bow, and olai — stretched the string and the arrow that was aimed at the heart of the partner. Under clothing every were devices that recorded the heartbeat and broadcast the sound throughout the room. It lasted about four minutes, but Marina “they have become eternity.”
the

Violence

Rudolf Svartskogen: “3rd action”

Almost all of these performances took place in Vienna in the 60s and were associated with the experiments over the body, trying to control the pain and enter a state of meditation. Rudolf Svartskogen belonged to one of the most radical group of Austrian artists, and together they have invented new methods of ritual violence in performance art. In his submissions, he has broken every imaginable taboo, claiming that gives access to the instincts that are suppressed by society of postwar Europe. During the “3rd action” (1965) he wrapped himself with bandages and made the cuts, watching as the blood flows down onto the piece of metal that was lying near his head. Self-torture for Shvarzneger — an opportunity to prove that the power of the human body can only belong to him.

Marina Abramovic: “Rhythm 0”

Marina Abramovic has created a series of performances called “Rhythm”. In 1974, she for six hours was locked in the gallery with the public. Before them was laid out 72 of the subject, some symbolized choice (honey, rose, fur boa), other violence (chain, knife, belt) and the death (gun, bullet). On one wall hung a ad that all items on the table and the body of the artist are in full possession of the public. At first the people were involved in the “game” with caution, but after a couple of hours it was getting really aggressive. Marina clothing was torn, her body pierced with thorns, covered with bruises and cuts, one of the spectators put the head of the artist to the muzzle of the gun, but it failed to stop. Abramovich explained that wanted to show “how quickly the person can return to the wild cave state if he is to let”.
the

experts

the Specifically for Hit.media

“Performance should not be seen as a way to shock the audience, this phenomenon has become a full form of modern art. And it is known to be prone to provocative. If we see society as a mechanism, a performance in it — the force that may lead him into action, to excite, and, most importantly, to restore the desired balance.”

“The emergence and spread of action primarily due to the fact that the art always seeks and finds new, more affordable ways of dialogue with an audience.”

[socialpoll id=”2420095″]

read more

the

• the
  • Young artists about their performances

the

• • a Review of publications about the Russian actionism

the

• Katie Chukhrov Thinking about where is the line between performance and bullying

Views All Time

2689

Views Today

1

Anastasiya Kurasheva

By author Anastasiya Kurasheva