Regina Jose Galindo -Performance Artist from Guatemala
What is Performance Art?
According to this interesting site I found on the Internet, Performance Art has certain qualities. Here they are:
1. A performance art piece is unprecedented.
2. It is difficult to censor since it has a good possibility of never being done before.
3. It is usually very current. This means that it is usually relevant of today because of the short time between conception and performance.
4. Performance art can involve the audience with taste, smell and sounds not available with electronic media and not practical with conventional theater. This is due to the usually small audience.
5. Performance art is the ultimate in creativity. Since it has so many possibilities at creativity, it’s essence tends to become creativity.
6. Occupies an environment with specific objects and actions for a specific amount of time.
7. The space time restraints of performance art does not allow for elaborate sets/props and cost very little to produce.
Source: http://www.bright.net/~dapoets/performa.htm
Regina Jose Galindo is a Performance Artist from Guatemala. She is one of the postwar artists that have emerged from the unstable situation in this country. Galindo has said that she doesn’t ask questions but instead poses one, puts one on the table. She said that it was good for Performance Art to progress because slowly the country will wake up. She is waiting for the bomb to explode (http://www.karaandrade.com/index.html).
One of the most interesting pieces of her work is one called, “Who can erase the traces?” She walks barefoot through the streets of her country as a defiant statement against the ex-dictator of Guatemala. He was the presidential candidate in 2003 and she walked through the streets only stopping to dip her feet in human blood. She has also shaved her whole body and walked naked through the streets of Venice. Galindo also had newspaper stories displayed on her nude body to protest the violence against women.
I’m glad that women are part of this Performance Art movement. I am happier that a Latino woman is able to be part of it. There is still room left for art in the worst of situations. Human beings are creatures who need to express themselves in whatever way they can in response to what’s happening around them. That is the beauty of art–the fact that it is everywhere and can let people escape the worst situations. I am glad that this is happening and hopefully the governments in Latin America will support the arts instead of suppressing them!
The role of an artist is to not only express his thoughts through his art no matter what people may think but also to redefine people’s expectations about art. For example, Zhang Huan takes art to a whole new level! I remember it was said that Zhang Huan said that he was a buddhist inside but an artist outside. As an artist, he needs to express himself in whatever way he can. Expressing art is something close to breathing for an artist. However, has to live! I’m not saying that he should express himself and not get paid for it! Money is complementary in this world and artist has to accept that.
I never knew that there was such a thing as Performance Art. What I like most about it is that you can’t really recreate it and you can’t sell it. Unless, of course, pictures of it are taken. Then it becomes a moment of time trapped forever. Although Performance Art is unique there should be a record of it.
In today’s day and age, a performance art piece against the Iraq War would be important. Perhaps, artists and everyone who is against it should storm the Capitol building, drenched in red paint. Some could fall on their way there. It should be done when all the Senators and Representatives are there. People might want to film themselves on Youtube and all those videos should be broadcasted in the Capitol where all these representatives should see it! It shouldn’t be something that brings havoc on the nation, something that causes the world to see that Americans are savages. Rather, it should be done elegantly and with respect for the art and for the audience.
October 1st, 2007 at 7:07 pm
I think it’s good how you use an outside source to define Performance Art, and it’s one that I can agree with. I think that the newspaper and blood on the feet are both really cool ideas that Galindo used in her performance art. But, most of all I agree with the point you made about how art can take people away from the worst situations. I really do believe that, and that is usually when the most emotion-filled and thought-provoking art is created. I’m definitely going to check out the link you posted/cited for Galindo and hopefully there’s a video of her work, because it sounds really interesting.