Performance Art

c. 1960s–present

Performance Art emerged alongside conceptual practices in the 1960s. Artists used their bodies as primary material, often staging ephemeral or unscripted actions. The work exists in time rather than as a permanent object. Documentation frequently becomes the lasting record of the performance.

Shoot

Chris Burden

1971

Performance involving real physical danger as artistic material.

Cut Piece

Yoko Ono

1964

Performance inviting the audience to cut the artist’s clothing.

Rhythm 0

Marina Abramović

1974

Performance testing audience responsibility and the limits of participation.