between action and image_ performance as ‘inframedium’ _ tate
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Analysis of competing approaches to performance and documentation in Contemporary Art.TRANSCRIPT
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3/25/2015 Between Action and Image: Performance as Inframedium | Tate
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Between Action and Image: Performance as InframediumJonahWesterman
20January2015
Whatwoulditmeantothinkofperformanceasamedium?Orrather,whatwoulditdotoourusualmodesofarticulatingperformanceart,itsmeanings,anditshistories?Itmightatfirstsoundoddtopositperformanceasamedium,giventhatwenormallythinkofitasresolutelyephemeral.Butthinkingaboutperformanceinrelationtomediahasalwaysbeenpartofhowcriticsandscholarshavedealtwithitsforms,evenandespeciallywhenmakingthestrongestcasesforitsinevitableevanescence.
In1993PeggyPhelanwrotethatPerformancesonlylifeisinthepresentthatitcannotbesaved,recorded,documented,orotherwiseparticipateinthecirculationofrepresentationsofrepresentations:onceitdoessoitbecomessomethingotherthanperformance. ForPhelan,aworkofperformanceartonlyexistsaslongastheexactdurationofitsstaging.Repeatperformancescompriseentirelydifferentworks,andanydocumentationanytranslationintomediatedformscanonlyretrospectivelygesturetowardthatwhichoncewas,butisnomore.Phelandrawsthisontologicallineinthesandbecause,forher,thevalueofperformanceliesinitsdisappearance:Withoutacopy,liveperformanceplungesintovisibilityinamaniacallychargedpresentanddisappearsintomemory,intotherealmofinvisibilityandtheunconsciouswhereiteludesregulationandcontrol. Becauseitvanishes,performancehasthepowertoshortcircuitthenormalfunctioningoftheartmarketsprofitmotiveandtoescapethepowerofmasteringnarratives.
InPhelansaccount,performancesidentityanditsattendantcapacitiesaresecuredthroughanegativerelationtomedia.Performanceisnotaphotograph,notavideo,notasubsequentwrittenaccount,noteventheaggregateofmemoriesstemmingfromtheactsincethese,too,onlyrepresentpartialapproachestothethingitselfjustripplingwavesgeneratedby,butnotidenticalto,thestoninessofthestonenowforeversubmergedbeneathitsownglisteningtraces.Forher,performanceistheartformthatisnotone,thatwhichexceedsthephotograph,thatwhichevadesthevideo,andsoon.Performanceisrawimmediacy.
PhilipAuslanderhasadoptedadiametricallyoppositeviewofthisrelationship.Forhim,mediationiswhatcreatesperformanceinthefirstplace.In2006hewrote,Documentationdoesnotsimplygenerateimage/statementsthatdescribeanautonomousperformanceandstatethatitoccurred:itproducesaneventasaperformance. Thatis,thoseformerlyinadequateandobscuringripplescannowbeunderstoodnotonlytodescribethesize,speedandtrajectoryofthestonethatcreatedthem,normerelytoproveandattestthattherewasastonethatstruckthewater,buttodrawourattentiontotheeventassomethingsignificant,somethingworthyofourattentionbecauseithasleftitsmarkontheworldandourexperienceofit.Auslanderdemonstratesthemightofthisexpostfactoproductionbydescribingworksthatneverhappened
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Fig.1YvesKleinLeapintotheVoid1960YvesKlein,ADAGP,ParisPhoto:ShunkKenderRoyLichtensteinFoundation
inthewaytheyareportrayedperformancesthatexistsolelyasworksofmediation.
HefocusesonartistYvesKleinsfamouslyconfabulatedphotograph,LeapintotheVoid1960(fig.1).ThisblackandwhiteimagecapturesKleininfullbodyprofileandinthemiddledistance(fromthestandpointofthecamera)ashetakesaswandivefromatwostorybuilding,frozenattheheightofhisarcbeforetheimpendingplummettothesidewalkbelow.Whenitwasstaged,agroupofpeopleonthestreetwerewaitingwithanettocatchhim.InthefinalcollagedimagethatcirculatesasLeapintotheVoid,however,thispracticalprecautionhasbeencarefullyexcised,anotherviewoftheunforgivingandunpeopledgroundstandinginforthoseopenarms.AsAuslanderputsit,Theimageweseethusrecordsaneventthatnevertookplaceexceptinthephotographitself. Evenso,heargues,Leapisnolessaperformanceforneverhavinghappened.InAuslandersview,thephotographmakestheperformancenotonlyratifyingit,buttypifyingitandcallingitintobeingasanactionintendedforconsiderationbyanaudience.Itisthephotographthatcreatestheperformance,andcontinuallycreatesiteverytimesomeoneseestheimage.Here,whateverisaliveinperformanceisinitiatedthroughitsmediation.
AuslanderconfrontstheghostofPhelansnegativeontologythathauntshisinterventionbycomparingKleinsLeaptoChrisBurdensequallyiconicShoot1971,whichalsopurportstopresentafleetingactioninphotography(fig.2).ForShoot,Burdenhadhimselfshotinthearmbyamarksmanarmedwitharifle.PhotographscapturethetensemomentbeforethebulletisloosedtheshooterreadyandaimingasBurdenstandsagainstablankwhitestudiowallaswellastheimmediateaftermaththeartistwalkingacrossthestudio,snapshottakenfromhisleftsidesothe.22caliberthroughandthroughonhistricepanditstelltaletrickleofbloodareinprominentevidence.Polemically,Auslanderasks:
WhatdifferencedoesthefactthattheimageofChrisBurdendocumentssomethingthatreally
happenedandtheimageofYvesKleindoesnotmaketoourunderstandingoftheseimagesin
relationtotheconceptofperformancedocumentation?Myanswer:Ifweareconcernedwiththe
historicalconstitutionoftheseeventsasperformances,itmakesnodifferenceatall.
Fig.2ChrisBurdenShoot1971
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AuslanderdivorcesthefacticityofdepictedeventsfromtherealityeffectproducedbytheirultimateformsitlookslikeKleinjumpsrecklessly,justasitlookslikeBurdengotshot.Forhim,thateffectisthelocationofperformance.Auslanderconcludes,Itmaywellbethatoursenseofthepresence,power,andauthenticityofthesepiecesderivesnotfromtreatingthedocumentasanindexicalaccesspointtoapasteventbutfromperceivingthedocumentitselfasaperformancethatdirectlyreflectsanartistsaestheticprojectorsensibilityandforwhichwearenowthepresentaudience. Suchathoughtexperimentwashesawaylayersofaccruedanxietyovercomingtoperformance(s)toolate.
ButyoudonothavetobePeggyPhelantoseethatthisnotionofperformanceasamediatedartifact,onethatreflectsanartistsaestheticproject,forfeitsanyandallclaimstoitsbeingdifferentfromanykindofartwhatsoever.Isthisnottrueofallphotography,film,painting,sculpture,andsoon,producedsincetheadventoftheconceptsartandartist(atleastintermsofthewesterndisciplinarylanguageofarthistory)?PhelaneffacesanysignificantconnectionbetweenperformanceanditstraceswhileAuslanderelidesanydifferencebetweenactionandartifact.Thesharedresultofeachoftheseattemptstodefineperformanceistoposititasasovereigncategory,yetmakeitunknowable.ForPhelan,thisisthestatedaimthestoneislosttothewaterbutforAuslanderthiserasureisanunintended(andironic)consequenceweencounteraninfinitehomogeneoussurface,everyundulationlikeanyother.Foralltheverbiageinvested,wedonotknowperformanceanybetter.
Surelytheremustbeaspacebetweenthesetwoantipodes,aterrainonwhichwecouldsensitivelydrawouthowperformancerelatestoitsmediawhilerespectingdistinctions.In1965artistDickHigginsusedthetermintermediumtodescribethennewworksofartthatheunderstoodtofallbetweenmedia. HewastalkingaboutHappenings,whichtheessaydescribedasanunchartedlandthatliesbetweencollage,music,andthetheater,butalsoaboutRauschenbergscombines,Oldenburgssoftsculptures,andgoingsonatJudsonDance,amongotherexamples. ForHiggins,thistransgressionofartstraditionallinesechoedthedayssocialunrest.ThenotionofapuremediumcouldnolongerholdwhenCastrowork[ed]inthecanefieldsandNewYorksMayorLindsaywalk[ed]toworkduringthesubwaystrike. Withsuchanequationbetweenartstakingflightfrommediumspecificityandtheseemingsignsofareorganisationofsocietyinmind,itisallthemorebafflingtoconfrontthelaterdesiretopinpointandprotectperformancesontology,itsmediumidentity,inthenameofsecuringitsradicalpotential.Despitehissensethatthemodeofintermedialitysignaledanepochalshiftinartproduction,Higginsinsiststhattheconceptcanonlyofferastartingpointforfurtheranalysisandunderstanding:itallowsforaningresstoaworkwhichotherwiseseemsopaqueandimpenetrable,butoncethatingresshasbeenmadeitisnolongerusefultoharpupontheintermedialityofawork. Startingfromtherealisationthatartworkscancompriseintermedia,onemustthenproceedtointerrogatewhichmediaarebeingintermingledandwhy.
Thisideacanbringussomedistanceinapproaching(withspecificity,ratherthanflatteningequality)thecasesAuslanderraises.Forexample,thinkinginintermedialtermscouldmeanconceivingLeapinrelationtocollageandShootinrelationtophotojournalism.Pullingtheworksapartinthiswaywouldsetusontracktoappreciatingtheirdifferences,whyitmattershistoricallyandaestheticallythatoneimagecorrespondsmorecloselytoafacticexperienceoflivedrealitythantheother.Westillrunintoadeadend,however,solongasweimagineeitherofthesecollageorphotojournalismtobemixed,orintermedialised,withperformance.For,doingsostillpresumesperformancetobeasovereigncategorythispresumptionpreservestheinitialbinarytermsofthedocumentationproblematicasPhelanlaysitout:performance(asaction)ononehand
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documentationontheother.Assoonasweattempttodrawdistinctionsbetweentheperformancesbasedonhowtheymakeuseofmedia,weendupseparatingactionfromartifactand,thus,rightbackwherewestarted.
Tothinkthroughperformancesrelationtomedia(withoutlosingeithertermtotheotherspriority),itisimperativetoimagineanintermediumthatdoesnotmerelycombinealreadyidentifiable,discreteartisticmedia(evenifitchangesthemintosomeotherartformgreaterthanthesumofitsparts)butthatalsobridgesthespaceofartwithactivities,actions,andprocessesimaginedtobebeyonditspurviewi.e.,thespaceoflife,thingsnotyetframedbyartisticdiscourseandpractice,butwhichcanbebroughtwithinit.ThisisalreadytosomeextentwhatHigginshadinmindwiththeexampleshechooses,buthepointsdirectlyatthisproblembymentioningMarcelDuchamp.Hewrites,Thereadymadeorfoundobject,inasenseanintermediumsinceitisnotintendedtoconformtothepuremediumsuggestsalocationbetweenthegeneralareaofartmediaandthoseoflifemedia. ThislocationisthespacebetweenPhelanandAuslander,anditisthisblurryinterzonebetweenartmediaandlifemediathatmustbeourpointofdepartureinconsideringtherelationshipbetweenactionandmediationinperformance.
Thereadymadeisusuallythoughtofasanobjectlessoninradicaldislocation,adisjunctiveleapacrossunlikespacestakeaurinal,removeitfromthebathroom(orhardwarestore),putitinagallery,titleitanditbecomesFountain(fig.3).Buttheideaofintermediality(asbringingtogetherartmediaandlifemedia)suggestsweshouldseethereadymadeasanactofspatialcompressioninstead,theproductionofakindofwormholethatbringsthesetwoformerlydistantplacesinfinitelyclosetogether,asopposedtoadefinitivecleavagethatseparatesthem.Indeed,thisproductionofproximityexplainsmuchbetterwhyFountainwascapableofdisgustingitsfirstaudiences(andstillisineveryclassroominwhichIhaveevertaught).Theobjectneverstopsbeingaurinalbutitalsobecomessculpture,meaningitsimultaneouslyisandisnotaurinal.
Fig.3MarcelDuchamp(18871968),Fountain1917,replica1964SuccessionMarcelDuchamp/ADAGP,ParisandDACS,London2002
Thisinfinitesimal,vibrating,uncertaindistanceiswhatDuchampcalledtheinframince,usuallytranslatedasinfrathintoothintobethin,orevenmorethinthanthin.Hisexamplesincludethewarmthfeltontheseatofachairjustaftersomeonegetsupfromitandthespacebetweenthefrontandbacksidesofasheetof
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paper.Weexperiencetheinfrathinwhentobaccosmokeexhaledalsosmellsofthemouthwhichexhalesit,orwhenweviewanimagepaintedonglassfromthenonpaintedside. Thetwoelementssmokeandbreath,orglassandpaintremainintelligible,perceptible,butwhereonestopsandtheotherstartsisunidentifiable,toofinetograsp.
Performancebringsartmediaandlifemediatogetheralonganinfrathinedge.Thismeansthatwhenweconsiderperformanceandmedia,weshouldnotlamenttheirretrievablelossofthestone,oreraseitsdistinctionfromthewaterysurround,butratherconcentrateonthethresholdmomentbetweenitsbeingdryandbeingwet.Thatkissingspatialplane,thattemporalmembrane,isperformanceasamedium.Itisaninfrathincominglingofmediawhatwecouldcallaninframedium.Tofocusonthethresholdthiswayis,pacePhelanandAuslander,toimagineperformancelessasathinginitself(whetherlocatedinanactionoritstraces)andmoreasaspatialsituation,asamobileandprofoundlyindistinctdividinglinethatjoinsformtoexperienceand,byvirtueofitsspecificsitinginagivenwork,describesthelocationandcompositionofeach.
AsFountainisbothaurinalandasculpture,soLeapintotheVoidisbothanactoffaithandacontrolledmanipulationofform.ItmattersequallythatKleinjumpedfromthebuildingandthathedidsoconceivinginadvancethatthefinalproductwouldbeacollagedphotograph.Theimageisdesignedtosettheborderbetweenliveactionandcrystallisedformbuzzing.Andittreatshisbodyandphotographyasmediacapable,whencombined,ofproducinganartworkthataffordsaglimpseoftranscendence.AlongwithAuslander,wewouldhavetosaythatinthisregardLeapreflectsKleinsaestheticproject.AcanvassaturatedwithimpastoedInternationalKleinBluedeliversthesamemomentarydefianceofgravity,astheexperienceofvisionseemstodancefreefromitscorporealanchor.Butbyusinghisownbody(foronce)toachievethiseffectKleinaskshisviewerstosee,additionally,howsuchayearningcanonlyeverbeexpressedthroughform,howthesearchfortheimpossibleandinexpressibleisconductedpreciselythroughwhatwecandoandmake.Leapmakesspiritchafeagainstfleshtheinfrathinlinethatunitesanddividesthetwoiswheretheperformancehappens.
Likewise,Shootisbothanactofselfsacrificeandacalculatedpresentationofartisticmastery.ItiscrucialtotheworkthatBurdenreallydidgetshot,anditisequallyimportantthatthephotographsconveythisactioninthewaytheydo.TheflightofthebulletmimicstheinstantaneityofliveactionasPhelanwouldseeit,andthephotographicstrategyofcapturingthemomentsjustbeforeandafterBurdengetshitheightensourapprehensionofShootsbriefpassageintime.Thephotographsconspiretoamplifytheephemerality,presentingitagainandagaintonewaudiences.Intheseways,again,PhelanandAuslanderareeachrighttosomeextent.Butthepointistothinkbothofthesemomentstogetherascomprisingperformance.Itisworthmentioning,moreover,thatoneofDuchampsmanyexamplesoftheinfrathinisthemomentbetweenhearingapistolfireandseeingitstargetpierced.Theinfrathinseamthatjoinssignifiedandsignifieriswhattheperceivingaudienceencounters.WithShoot,weconfronttheplacewhereviolencebecomesanobjectofconsumption.ArthistorianKathyODellhasarguedthatthispiece(andotherexamplesofwhatshedescribesasmasochisticbodyartofthe1970s)shouldbeseeninrelationtotheircontemporaneoustelevisualenvironment,whichfeaturedthefirsteverrealtimeimagesofcombatasnewscoverageoftheVietnamWarbeameditswayintoAmericanhomes. Shootwasnotonlydesignedtobephotographed,butwasmediatedinadvanceinbeingaresponsetosuchtelevisedfootage(anditshavingalreadymarriedlifemediawithartmedia).
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Research FeatureTags:
Performancehappensatthethresholdofactionandimage.Thatplaceisimpossibletoidentifydefinitively,tocordonorsequester,andthisiswhyeventhemostsophisticatedattemptstodefineperformanceasathinginitselfendupeithersubmergingitbeneathunknowabledepthsorconflatingitwiththeformswithwhichittravels.Butapproachingperformanceasaninframediumoffersagenerativemethodforexploringworksthatmightatfirstseemopaqueandimpenetrable,asHigginsputsit.Weneedtoworrylessaboutthetimeofperformanceandwhetheritwasthenornoworalways,andthinkmoreaboutwhereithappens,whatitbringstogetherandhowthatspatialsituationbothquestionsanddescribesourownvantageontothenexusofartandlife.
JonahWestermanAHRCPostdoctoralResearcher,TateJanuary2015
Notes
PeggyPhelan,Unmarked:ThePoliticsofPerformance,NewYorkandLondon1993,p.146.Ibid,p.148.PhilipAuslander,ThePerformativityofPerformanceDocumentation,PAJ:AJournalofPerformanceandArt84,vol.28,no.3,September2006,p.5.Ibid,p.2.Ibid,p.5.Ibid,p.9.DickHiggins,Intermedia,inHorizons,Illinois1984,p.18.FirstpublishedinSomethingElseNewsletter1,no.1,NewYork1966.Ibid,p.22.Ibid,p.18.1981addendumtoIntermedia,ibid,p.27.Ibid,p.20.MichelSanouilletandElmerPeteron(eds.),TheWritingsofMarcelDuchamp,Oxford1973,p.194.SeealsoThomasGirst,TheDuchampDictionary,London2014,pp.978.SeeKathyODell,ContractwiththeSkin:Masochism,PerformanceArt,andthe1970s,Minneapolis1998.
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