Response to Marsh

Performance Art And Its Documentation: A Photo/Video Essay, Anne Marsh

Marsh discusses the history of performance art and the documentation of the performance. Performances can be made for a live audience to witness in person, or for further viewing at another time. Marsh questions if the 'live' can ever be reproduced, either through a remake of the original performance, or through its documentation. 

The relationship between performance art and its documentation is fascinating and problematic, On one hand it seems logical to simply argue that a live event cannot be re-mediated. 

Performance art is an ephemeral medium and therefore the documentation of the performance is not an accurate representation of the original live work. But the documentation of the work is still vital for future viewers to be able to see the work and to understand it.

Marsh examines Jill Orr's performance, She had long golden hair. Orr's performance could only be performed once, because it involved the cutting of her full head of hair. The documentation of this work was created by using three still images of the performance. However, these photographs do not fully explain the story of the performance. Further writing or video documentation is vital to the comprehension of the work.

This prompts Marsh to pose the question: Can someone still understand and write about an artwork that they haven't seen in person? 

I don't believe that a performance has to be witnessed first hand to be considered a performance work or to be understood completely. Art historians will never be able to witness every single performance art piece first hand.  Yet, they still write about these performances, and help others to understand the work from a different viewpoint.

It can be interesting to see the 'second-order' installations from these performances. It gives the performance work a new point of view. But I also think that extra documentation, be it in video or writings or other photographs, can give context to future viewer. 

Jill Orr,  She had long golden hair, 1980

Jill Orr,  She had long golden hair, 1980