Whilst exploring different Site Specific performances, it is crucial to understand the importance of that particular performance in a certain space and realise the means as to why it is being performed in this particular space as well.
The function of a Site is to ensure that there is relevance between performance in a certain space, however not to explain to an audience or spectator what is happening and why; instead they can witness the performance and make their own judgements from it.
During week three we had the opportunity to watch and consider a number of different Site Specific performances and make individual perceptions of these performances for ourselves. I took inspiration from a number of these performances and found many different aspects from individual works that I imagined incorporating together for a performance.
(DeCarlo, 2008)
Marina Abramovic particularly inspired me with her willingness to make herself completely vulnerable to an audience. ‘Imponderabilia’ performed by Marina Abramovic and Ulay, struck me as an extremely thought-provoking performance. By facing the audience with two naked bodies of both genders and standing in a small doorway for the audience to pass through, the spectator is then challenged as to where they feel appropriate to advert their eyes to, and also whom they subconsciously face when walking between them. The audience are then faced with the question to themselves of why they faced who they did, and how it felt walking between two naked, completely exposed bodies.
Visitors to a museum will engage with the art they are faced with, therefore the engagement between the spectator and Marina and Ulay is almost impossible not to be created. I feel that this piece relates strongly to mine in the sense that both performances are using a museum/gallery as the site for performance, and are presenting to visitors of the museum/gallery a visual piece of performance art in which they are confronted with, and from then on, have the choice as to whether or not they wish to engage further with the artists performance if applicable.
Works Cited:
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DeCarlo, T. (2008) Who’s in charge?. [online] Available from: http://www.brooklynrail.org/2008/12/artseen/the-art-of-participation-1950-to-now [Accessed 8 April 2014].