Week 3 (11th Feb):
I feel that after today’s session I have finally connected with the module. Having missed week two, I felt I had some catching up to do in terms my understanding on the topic. The session began in The Collection with a group discussion about what performance does. We concluded that performance engages the spectators senses, provokes contemplation and questioning. In terms of site specific performance, it can bring new importance or purpose to the site. Performance inspires debates and restores a sense of community, which is why in many ways it can become the root of collective consciousness. I now understand how lucky we are to be performing in a museum and gallery, because as a site it holds a great deal of cultural importance in its role of educating people on our past and its connection to the world of Art. Given that my current understanding of what makes a performance Site-Specific, is that the performance is directly drawing influence and inspiration from it’s location, I couldn’t be happier with our site. I am still not sure that my understanding of Site-Specific performance is totally accurate, but i certainly feel more confident in it.

© 2010 Scott Ruddwww.scottruddphotography.comscott.rudd@gmail.com

In our afternoon session we watched “The Artist Is Present”, a Documentary about Marina Abramovic’s work in the Museum of Modern Art. It was a collection of documentation and several re-performances. Having already researched “Rhythm 0”, I was aware that Marina was a highly dedicated and experimental performer. However upon watching “the artist is present” it became clear that marina was incredibly expressive and gave her whole self to ever performance. “Exploring the physical and mental limits of her being, she has withstood pain, exhaustion, and danger in the quest for emotional and spiritual transformation.” (Show of Force LLC and Mudpuppy Films Inc ) She inspired several performance artists, site-specific performances and has become a huge personal inspiration for me. The bravery and depth of her performances struck a chord with me and my new found group. We have already discussed the idea of doing an endurance piece related to identity and culture.

  • Show of Force LLC and Mudpuppy Films Inc. (2012) Marina – A Documentary Film about Marina Abramović: About Marina Abramovic. [Online] New York: Show of Force LLC and Mudpuppy Films Inc. Available from http://marinafilm.com/about-marina-abramovic [Accessed 11 Febuary 2015]
  • (Image credit: https://www.flickr.com/photos/themuseumofmodernart/4422559925/in/set-72157623594227362)