Virginia Pérez-Ratton, “Performance and Action Work in Central America, 1960-2000: A Political and Aesthetic Choice,” in Arte No Es Vida, ed. Deborah Cullen, (New York: El Museo del Barrio, 2008), 204-213.
Virginia Pérez-Ratton, “Performance and Action Work in Central America, 1960-2000: A
Political and Aesthetic Choice,” in Arte No Es Vida, ed. Deborah Cullen, (New York: El
“Performance and Action Work in Central America...” is an engaging article because it brings to light the context and inspirations for many performance artwork in Central America, particularly that around the Guatemalan War. Pérez-Ratton notes, “Among the first changes that the 1960s brought to the Isthmus’ visual arts was the re-assessment of traditional urban areas as spaces for art”. Artists’ work were informed by their political surroundings, but it seems that their influences were “more in relation to the role of the artist in society then to the artwork itself”, hence the use of performance.
This awareness of a new area for art transcends aesthetics and materials, as artists test limitations. Limitations of space, institutions and activism. Performance became a major tool for artists to test and break these limits. Some of the performances regarding these unescapable realities actually took place outside of their country. Which is interesting because the beginning of the article mentions the lack of documentation about this subject and era of art. Without documentation, many artists’ physical performances dematerialized into history, like Galindo’s voice fading into the wind. Could an “art institution” have helped this? Was the role of the art critic, or critic in general, there to translate this? In what context where these written about locally? Art or activism?
Ideas of being in opposite places were explored in Un-Freezing Space. If the artist is inside, how can they bring their outside audience, us for example, inside? Performance seemed to be the answer, powerful enough to make us aware of the violence these countries suffer. But is that all it did? Provide us with a sense of guilt and relief that we don’t have to go through such extremes.
Matthew, thank you for bravely posting on this reading, which was in peril too of "fading into the wind." I like this question of the role of the arts institution and the critic in documenting as well as creating meaning. Let's take this up in class tomorrow.
“Performance and Action Work in Central America...” is an engaging article because it brings to light the context and inspirations for many performance artwork in Central America, particularly that around the Guatemalan War. Pérez-Ratton notes, “Among the first changes that the 1960s brought to the Isthmus’ visual arts was the re-assessment of traditional urban areas as spaces for art”. Artists’ work were informed by their political surroundings, but it seems that their influences were “more in relation to the role of the artist in society then to the artwork itself”, hence the use of performance.
ReplyDeleteThis awareness of a new area for art transcends aesthetics and materials, as artists test limitations. Limitations of space, institutions and activism. Performance became a major tool for artists to test and break these limits. Some of the performances regarding these unescapable realities actually took place outside of their country. Which is interesting because the beginning of the article mentions the lack of documentation about this subject and era of art. Without documentation, many artists’ physical performances dematerialized into history, like Galindo’s voice fading into the wind. Could an “art institution” have helped this? Was the role of the art critic, or critic in general, there to translate this? In what context where these written about locally? Art or activism?
Ideas of being in opposite places were explored in Un-Freezing Space. If the artist is inside, how can they bring their outside audience, us for example, inside? Performance seemed to be the answer, powerful enough to make us aware of the violence these countries suffer. But is that all it did? Provide us with a sense of guilt and relief that we don’t have to go through such extremes.
Matthew, thank you for bravely posting on this reading, which was in peril too of "fading into the wind." I like this question of the role of the arts institution and the critic in documenting as well as creating meaning. Let's take this up in class tomorrow.
ReplyDelete