Documentation of (Mis)Representation: Towards An Archival Future of the Performative Photograph

Size: px

Start display at page:

Download "Documentation of (Mis)Representation: Towards An Archival Future of the Performative Photograph"

Norman Patrick
5 years ago
Views:

1 Documentationof(Mis)Representation:TowardsAnArchivalFutureofthe PerformativePhotograph AllanTaylor Documentationhascontinuedtobeanissuethatplaguesliveartandeversince PeggyPhelandeclaredita betrayal oflivenessithasbeenmuchdebated academicallyifdocumentationcaneverberepresentational.aswemovefurther andfurtherinthedigitalage,theissueofdocumentationhasbecomeamore prevalentandpracticalissue.withtheabilitytocaptureworkonphotoandfilmat cheaperandeasierlevelsthaninthe1990sandwiththeintroductionofsocialmedia likeyoutube,twitterandflickr,performanceartistsareexpectedtohaveawealth of proof thattheirworkhasexistedbeforeapproachingaproducerorpotential fundingpartners.applicationsfromartistswhochoosenottodocumentisoften seenaslowpriorityandoccasionallydiscardedcompletely.thisshiftinthe applicationsofdocumentationmeansthatwemustalsobeforwardthinkinginhow weutilizeit.thatiswhy,inthisarticle,iwillarguethatwemoveawayfromusing photographyas documentary orto document as proof andmovetowardsa documentationofmise en scene onethatputstheintentionsandmessagesofthe performanceintoonemoment.drawingonbaudrillard snotionofsimulationand thelacanianorderofself,aswellasprogressingthefoundationoftheargumentof Auslander(2006),Iwillpresentthecaseforusingphotographyasaconceptual mediumfordocumentation,displayedthroughvalieexport sgentialpanikasan archivedexample,whatwecanlearnaboutself portraiturefromcindyshermanand howtoday sperformanceartistsareusingpublicityphotographyinthisway. WhenIfirststartedresearchingthetopicofdocumentingliveartthrough photography,myprimarypositionwastodiscredititasameansofpreservingits liveness.however,asicontinuedtoresearch,iaskedmyselfwhy ifweareso certainthatwecannoteveraccuratelyrepresentliveperformancethrough documentation dowenotuseittodocumentthetheatrical,imaginedor Other selfwepresentinaperformancespacethatmoreaccuratelyscribesourintentions? WalterBenjamin(inArendtandBenjamin,1999)statedthatthevalueofartisinits uniqueandirreplaceablestatus,butforperformanceartists,thishasalwaysbeena pointofcontention.oftenafteranactionorworkhastakenplace,therearevery fewtracesorremains,unlessitistheintentionofthepiece.oncethelivemoment hasgone,performancecannotberecoveredunlessitisperformedagain,andeven thisreproductiontakesplaceunderadifferentsetofcircumstances,andtherefore changesthelivenessofthepiece.also,themediatisationofourcultureenablesthe performancetobecapturedveryquicklyandinexpensively.benjaminspokeina timewheretechnologywaslimitedandreproducibilitywasmoreinforgerythanin film.performanceartistsoweitnotonlytothemselves,butalsotothearchiveand scholarswhowillstudytheirworktodocumenttheirpractice(reason,2006:pg31).

2 AsAmeliaJones(1997)socorrectlyhighlightsinherpresence in absentiaconcept,it isveryrarethatanyofushaveexperiencedsometimelessperformances Iwas neverabletoseecaroleeschneeman s InteriorScroll asittookplaceeightyears beforeiwasbornandevenatthatinadifferentcountrythousandsofmilesaway. However,IfeellikeIhaveexperiencedsomeperformativeaspectofthisthroughthe documentationofherwork.hercommitmenttolivenessispreservedandsoisthe memoryofherwork,throughmaintainingthisrelationshipbetweentheliveand representingthesymbolicintentionsoftheperformanceinherdocumentation.as wecontinueforward,theexpectationthatallartistsembracethisincreasesfromall forumschallengingthemtothinkabouthowonecanpreserveboththelivenessof workanddocumenteffectivelyinordertocommitasomethingtangibletothe archive. Sonowthepracticalissuesofproducingperformanceandarchivingworkhave changed,sotooshouldourviewofdocumentingit.asmelzer(1995)notes, electronicrepresentationofperformanceisanattempttodefineandredefinea performance,withitstransferencetoadigitalmediummakingitadifferentwork entirelyandtheaudienceareonceremovedfromtheoriginalcontext.thisistrue, butoncewescratchthesurfaceofwhatperformanceis,worryingaboutthe accuracyoftherepresentationofitseemstobe,initself,afutilenotion. Lacaninvestigatesourrelationshiptotheselfwithintheconceptofsymbolicorders, thereforeifweconsiderlifeasa self,withthedifferencebetweenthe real being thenon performativeaspectsoflifeandthe mirror orsymbolicselfoflifetobe thatwhichisperformed(aslacanhighlightsthesymbolichasadirectrelationship withthemirrorstage thatistosaylifegazesatperformanceasitsego ideal;its symbolicself),thenifwedocument as proofwearetryingtodisplaythe reality of somethingthatisinitselfsymbolic. Furthermore,performanceisasimulacrumoflife,andtoconsidertheauthenticity ofacopyofasimulacrum(i.e.documentation)thenbecomesafutileandpointless task.instead,weshouldembracethehyper realityoftheperformedworldanditis thisthatweshouldtrytorepresentinourdocuments.inadditiontothis,ifwealso takeintoaccountthatbaudrillardinvestigateslifeinitselfasanillusionfilledwith simulacrum thatrealityisinfactacopytobeginwith thenauthenticitybecomes aquestionableconcept.inthisperspective,performancethenbecomesasymbolic representationofasymbolicrepresentation.howcanwe authentically reproduce somethingthatisagesture,codeorsymbolthatismerelyasignifierofthereal?if weacceptthisasabasis,theonlythingwecandoistoencapsulatetheessenceof thesymbolwearetryingtomodulate. Worryingaboutaccuracy,orseparatingauthenticityandsimulacrum,isakinto worryingifphotocopyingaphotocopyofaphotocopyrepresentsa real document. Therealquestionisdoesiteffectivelydowhatthedocumentisintendedtodo. Acceptingthisbeliefthatthehumanexperienceisasimulationofrealityratherthan arealexperience,theperformanceortheaspectofliveperformancethatwetryto capturewhenwedocumentmustalso simulate thatcopiedversionofasimulacrum

3 ofrealityratherthanreplicateitexactly.inotherwords,thedocumentationthatwe producemustsynthesiseourthoughtsandintentionstotheviewer,ratherthan actingasproofthattheeventhappened,inordertobeeffectiveasabothan archivaldocumentandanenticingdepictionforpotentialfundersandproducers. AsAuslander(2006)quiterightlystates: Ifweinsistonauthenticitytodocumentation,thenwemustalsoaskwhetherwe believetheauthenticityresidesintheunderlyingcircumstancesofthephotography (p.7) Thismeansthattheauthenticityoftheacthasasmuchvalueasthatweplaceonto it.authenticityresidesintheviewer srelationshiptothedocumentationratherthan theactitself.intheexampleauslanderusesinhispaperofyvesklein s LeapInto thevoid,theviewerisaskedtobelievethatkleinisactuallyfallingfromawalland wewillinglybelievethatasthepicturecapturestheelusivemomentbetween standing,fallingandlandingthatgivestheimpressionofleapingintospace.whether Kleinisornotisin reality isirrelevant:photographyhasauniquepowerthatallows theartisttostagethemomentperfectlyinordertocreatethisillusion todraw uponanaspectthatappearstomakethephotographperform,toconjureitsown narrativeandtohaveaperfectlystagedconceptualintention.aphotographhasthe strengthtoformthesameemotionalconnectionanaudiencemembermakesduring aliveperformance,allowingartiststobringthemclosertothecruxoftheirwork. Inessence,iftheargumentagainstdocumentationhasbeenitslackofconnectionto theaudienceandtheliveexperience,thenwemustdrawuponthebarthesian notionsofthepunctumandstudiuminproducingphotographytodocumentour work.theimagethatrepresentsthewholeperformancemustconveyitsunderlying naturalistictruths(e.g.themessageofthework)whilestillpiercingtheviewerwith itsvisualimpact(theimage spunctum)andsimultaneouslyenabletheviewerto developtheirownpersonalrelationshipwithit,astheywouldconnectindividually withalivework(thestudium).thusdocumentsstarttodeveloptheirown performativity,whichcanbeofimmenseusetopractitionersinthewaytheychoose todocument.thedocumentcanbringtheperformancetolifebypinpointing essentialmessagesandmeaningsandtransmittingtheseinvisualcuesandsignifiers, ratherthanalifeless documentary photographywhichmaynottransmitthe performanceaspectofyourworkthatcouldbevitalinconveyingyourideato someoneisstudyinginanacademiccontextorinlightofaproducerconsidering one swork. AgoodexampleofthispracticeofdocumentingisofValieExport srepresentationof thepiece GentialPanik.Theimagehasbeenhungbyitselfingalleriessuchasthe TateModern,butismerelyarepresentation.However,thedocumentservesbothas documentationofperformanceandasaperformativedocument,whichmeansithas workedeffectivelyasaconceptualphotographinitself.theactualperformancetook placeintheaislesofacinemawearingcrotchlesstrousersandaskingthemeninthe

audiencemembersinthecinemawouldhavefelt. AfilmofExport soriginalperformancemaynot haveconveyedthesurpriseandconfrontation shewastryingtoinvestigateinherchallenging piece.

4 audiencetoexperiencethe realthing (hergenitalia)insteadofwatchingthe objectifiedwomanonscreen.inthephoto,shesitsaggressivelywithagunandthe aggressiveintentionsofthepiecedeflectyourintentionawayfromhercrotch the realizationbecomesanafterthought,simulatingtheexperienceofsurprisethat audiencemembersinthecinemawouldhavefelt. AfilmofExport soriginalperformancemaynot haveconveyedthesurpriseandconfrontation shewastryingtoinvestigateinherchallenging piece.therefore,makingdocumentationvia videowaslesssuccessfulinreproducingthe work smessages.itwouldnothaveincreasedor simulatedtheoriginalpieceandsobypresenting ittousinthismanner,exporthitsonher intentionsexactly.shedeflectsourgazebackat uswhilstopenlyandunashamedlydisplayingher crotch dictatedbytherelaxedyetstrongpose ofherlegonthechairnexttoher.thegunadds impacttotheviolentintentionofthestatement, andshechallengesustolook,andyetforcesus tolookaway.shepreventsherselffrom objectificationandyetgivesuswhatwewant therealthing.thus,thisperformanceis reperformed everytimewelookatthisphoto. Whatislostfromthisphotographistherealexperienceofbeingconfrontedby Export tobeinvitedtotouchherinanintimatewayandtheconfrontationalgaze thatinvertstheobjectified objectifierrelationship.however,shecombatsthisby presentingtheobject(herself,hergenitals)andbyusinghergazetoreflectthe viewer sobjectificationbackattheviewer,askingthemtoquestionwhattheireyeis drawntointhephotoandwhy. Interestinglyenough,thisparticular examplewasre performedbymarina AbramovicaspartofSevenEasy PiecesattheGuggenheimMuseumin NewYork.Theaspecttonoteisthat Abramovicperformsthephoto,she doesnotre performtheperformance (Santone,2008).Abramovic sphoto wastakeninliveness,isnotstaged, andwecanseeithaslostsome impact.hergazeisnotfocusedatthe audienceandthustherelationship andquestionthatexportraisesinher documentationofthework(andi refersolelytothedifferencebetween Abramovic sandexport s Figure1 ValieExport,ActionPants: GenitalPanik,1969 ValieExport Figure2 MarinaAbramovic'sPerformanceof GenitalPanicaspartofSevenEasyPieces, GuggenheimMuseum,2005 MarinaAbramovic

5 documentation)ofobjectificationappearstowaver.herewealsomissthelive experienceandtheconfrontationalaspectofabramovic sre performanceandas theperformancere performsthephotoandthesubsequentphotodocumentation doesnotaimtocapturetheimage,butarepresentationoftherealityofher recreation,itdetractsfromtheimpactofthestagedexportphoto. Thoughthisalsosupportsthecounterargument,thatleavingadocumentsuchas Export sinthearchivecanleaveitopentomisinterpretation,wemustalsoconsider thatre performanceinvitesre documentation,andthe ownership ofthepieceis lost.thecontextislostnotfromthephotograph,butfromthetimeandspacein whichitoccurs.asthisisthecase,thenwemustconcludethatexport sphotodoes captureanelementoflivenessthatwouldnotbeapparentfromothermediums. Erickson(1999)arguesthatdocumentationismerelyasupplementtoperformance; areminder.photographycanofferaninsightwithblackandwhitephotography servingafunctionwithouttryingtorepresentthelavish,culturallyinterestingand perhapsevendigitallyenhancedforumthatcolourphotographycancreate. Nonetheless,wealsohavetorecognisetheremaybenodistinctionbetween photographingperformance and performancephotography. However,wecanalsolearnathingor twofromperformancephotographers likecindyshermanwho,arguably,has rootsinworkthatisakindof performancephotography evidentin her UntitledFilmStills.Removingany suggestionofnarrative,includingthe removalofatitleforherpieces, Shermaninvitesustocommentand suggestastoryforherandsothe photographperformsitsownaccount, Figure3 CindySherman:UntitledFilmStill#14, 1978 CindySherman playingonthestudiumandour relationshipbetweenthevisualandthe performative.however,iftherewerea liveelementtoherwork,thestorybehindtheimagewouldbelostandthemystery ofthepiecenegated.therefore,shermanusestheperformativityofphotographyto heradvantage:sheemploysitasasubtleandinvocativesignifierthatplayson people sperceptionsofthevisualinordertocreateawholestory. Here,theemphasisisnotontheauthenticityoftheact,buthowwecantakethis modernperspectiveonthe selfportrait forwardandwhatwecanlearnfrom Cindy sperformanceofself.wecanusedocumentationasconceptualists,andin particularutilizephotographyasacanonforperformativeidentity(daltonetal, 2000)anddefiningthesymbolismofourperformancesalongwiththeworldwe create.itallowsustoconcentrateonthemise en sceneofthepiece,deconstructit intoitsquintessentialmessages,thinkabouttheobjectsorgesturescrucialtoits communicationandreflectitbackasoneconceptualvisualisation.

Oneforumwherethenotionofperformativephotographshasbeenreadily absorbedispublicityphotography,andsomeofyoumayhavealreadynotedthati beginwithdocumentation sincreasinglypragmaticuse.

6 Oneforumwherethenotionofperformativephotographshasbeenreadily absorbedispublicityphotography,andsomeofyoumayhavealreadynotedthati beginwithdocumentation sincreasinglypragmaticuse.publicityphotographyfor performancehasbecomeincreasinglyworthyasadocumentasitsengagementwith thevieweristheinitialpointofcontactfortheperformance.thus,ifitbecomesthe onemomentpeoplerememberfromalivework,itsvalueasdocumentationstarts toincrease.thereasonistatethispointisbecausepublicityoftenprecludes performanceandsotheaudiencememberalreadycomestotheperformancespace withanexpectationofseeingthisimagerealizedinsomeway,shapeorform.asthe imageisalreadyimprintedontheirmindbeforetheevent,itislikelytobe somethingtheycanholdontoafterwards.itservesbothasanindicativetasterand asavisualsouvenir;anenduringimprintrepresentativeofthewholeevent.though thereisnocertaintyinwhatpeopleremember,thepowerofthelensissuchthatifa performanceiscapturedsocompletelyinoneimage,itservesasareferencepoint thatpeoplekeepcomingbacktobeforeandaftertheperformancehasoccurred. Auslander(1994)touchesonthisnotion:aswepresentworkwithinacapitalist framework,itishardtoliveinidealisticignoranceoftheconsumerage,andthose whodoso,citing artisticintegrity asakeyfactorfornotdocumenting,ignorethe factthatmanyperformancesstillsellticketstomakemoneyback,orsellthetraces leftbyperformance.thusitisaframeworkinwhichwe fightfromwithin :weuse consumercultureasatooltocaptureaudiencesbysellingthemthehyper realityof ourperformance asanytvcommercialwould ratherthanthe proof ofthe event. Let stakeuninvitedguestsimageryfortheir recentperformance LoveLettersfromthe Heart.Hereweseetwofiguresholdingrecords uptotheirfaces.notethattheyarevinyls, instantlyinvokingasenseofnostalgiaand memory.theimagerepresentsaperformancein which requests aretakenfromtheaudience anddedicatedtolovedones.thestoriesarethen retoldbyuninvitedguestslive,alongwith accompanyingmusic.intheimage,therecords covertheirfaces,astheidentitiesofthe companyareobsolete thestoriestoldbelongto otherpeopleandaretoldthroughthemusicthey play.ergo,theessentialperformativeelements arebroughttogether:memory,humanpresence,metamorphicidentityandmusic. Thoughtheliveperformancemaynotlookanythinglikethephotograph,theyserve astwoseparatebeasts:theperformanceisthemainevent;ahappeningthatcannot bereplicated.thephotographisamementoencompassingthethemesofthe production,onethatinstantlyconjuresuptheconceptsandsubjectmatter,which thenmightconsequentlyinvokeamemoryoftherealperformancepost event.this dualitymeansaspromotionalmaterial,itisindicativeofwhatanaudiencemember Figure4 UninivitedGuests:Love LettersStraightFromYourHeart,2008 Photo:JonathanBewley

mightexpect.post performance,itisadocumentthatservesasacuetoleada viewertoreflectonitscontent.thusitperformseffectivelyasbothanadvertforthe performanceanddocumentationofthe event.

7 mightexpect.post performance,itisadocumentthatservesasacuetoleada viewertoreflectonitscontent.thusitperformseffectivelyasbothanadvertforthe performanceanddocumentationofthe event. Incontrast,BobbyBakerisanartistwho portraystheimaginedperformancethrough thesymbolic,performativeself.imagesofher veryoftensaylittleabouttheperformance, butthiskindofpublicityisbasedonselling youtheperformancethroughbaker s personality.indocumentingthisway,she commitstothearchiveamoregeneralsense Figure5 BobbyBaker:HowToLive,2007 BobbyBaker sdailylifeltd ofherperformances eccentric,scattyand surprisedbylife,whilesimultaneously managingtobeendearing,upfrontand seeminglyunpretentiousaboutwhatshehastosay.shewarmlyinvitestheviewer tocomeandmeetbobbybakerasaperson,ratherthantocomeandseethis specificperformanceorexhibition. Oneoftheunderlyingpointstoconsideristhat,asperformanceartists,wedonot aimtoaccuratelyrepresenttherealthroughourwork,sothequestionofwhetheror notwecancapturelivenessisredundant.instead,wemustshiftourthinkingof documentationasapowerfultoolincommunicatingtheimplicitmessagesof performance,capturingour performative orimaginedselfandinvokethe mysteriouspresence in absentia.asauslanderreferstoinhisoriginaldocument,a photographbecomesperformativeinitssubtextsandtransmissionstotheviewer. Photographycertainlycannotcaptureworkasawhole,oraimtoillustrate durationalwork.itshouldalsobenotedthatthisisnotacalltodistortorfudgethe truthbymanipulatingphotographytotheextentthatitbecomessomethingbeyond ourmeaningsandsense,andthisperspectivedoesnotarguethatlivenessisnot essentialasitwillalwaysbetreasuredtotheliveartist.whatweneedtoquestionis whetherweareactuallytryingtotranscribe proof whenwecaptureperformance digitally,eitherbyphotoorfilm,orifitisbettertocaptureatraceofthe performanceasaperformativedocument.whyisaccuracyimportantifitreveals thecoreaspectoftheworkthatwearetryingtorepresent?ifourphotodocumentationcanperformforus,thenwehavemorepreciselypreservedourwork forposteritythanifwetryanduseittorepresentwhatreallyhappened. Inconclusion,ifourworkisinherentlyconceptual,thenitseemsalmostabsurdto tryandusedocumentationassomesortofproof:ourpracticesarecreative,sowhy notbecreativewiththewaysinwhichweaimtocaptureitvisually?byinvokingthe innatequalitiesofaperformancepiece,themoresuccessfulitisinconvincing producerstoshowcasework,intransmittinganelementoflivenesstostudentsand inpreservingitstruenatureforthearchive.

8 AllanTaylor AllanTaylorisaperformanceartistwhoworksacrosstheatricalperformance, installationandliveart.hisworkintegratesideologicaltheoriesontheconstruction ofidentity,thestrugglebetweentheimaginedand'other'selfandthedialecticof performanceasanargumentbetweenphysicaltruthandimagination.hisresearch interestsincludeusingabsurditytodeconstructillusoryconceptsofsuccesssuchas loveandbeauty,aswellasdocumentationanditsconnectiontoliveart,cyberperformanceandtherelationshipbetweenself actualisationandperformance.heis oneofalimitednumberofemergingukartiststobeselectedtoperfomatthe inauguralstockholmfringefestivalthisoctober.error!hyperlinkreferencenot valid. References Arendt,HannahandBenjamin,Walter(1999) TheWorkofArtintheAgeof MechanicalReproduction IlluminationsTrans.Zohn,Harry4 th ed.fontana:london Auslander,Phillip(1994)PresenceandResistance:PostmodernismandCultural PoliticsAnnArbor:UniversityofMichiganPress Auslander,Phillip(1999)Liveness:PerformanceinaMediatizedCultureRoutledge: London Auslander,Phillip(2006) ThePerformativityofPerformanceDocumentation PAJ:A JournalofPerformanceandArtVol28No3pg1 10 Baudrillard,Jean(1983)SimulationsTrans.Foss,Paul,Patton,PaulandBeitchman, PhillipSemiotext(e):NewYork Banes,Sally(1990) WilltheReal PleaseStandUp? :AnIntroductiontotheIssue TDRVol34No4pg21 27 Barthes,Roland(1993)CameraLucidia:ReflectionsonPhotographytrans.Howard, RichardVintage:London Dalton,Jennifer;Lee,Nikki.S.;Goicolea,Antony;Henry BrownJr.,David(2000) Look AtMe:Self PortraitPhotographyafterCindySherman PAJ:AJournalof PerformanceandArtVol22No3pg47 56 Erickson,Jon(1999) PerformingDistractions PAJ:AJournalofPerformanceandArt Vol23No3

9 Export,Valie(1992)LandesgalerieLandesmuseum:Linz Heathfield,Andrew;Templeton,FionaandQuick,Andrew(1997)Shattered Anatomies:TracesoftheBodyinPerformanceArnolfiniLive:Bristol Jones,Amelia(1997) PresenceinAbsentia:ExperiencingPerformanceAs Documentation ArtJournalVol54no4pg11 18 Krauss,Rosalind(1996) InformeWithoutConclusion OctoberVol.78pg Lacan,Jacques(2006)Ecritstrans.BruceFinketalLondon:W.W.Norton Melzer,Ann(1995) BestBetrayal:TheDocumentationofPerformanceonVideoand Film NewTheatreQuarterlyVol11No42pg Mueller,Roswitha(1994)ValieExport:FragmentsoftheImaginationIndiana UniversityPress:Bloomington Phelan,Peggy(1993)Unmarked:ThePoliticsofPerformanceRoutledge:NewYork Reason,Matthew(2006)Documentation,DisappearanceandtheRepresentationof LivePerformancePalgraveMacmillan:Basingstoke Rye,Caroline(2003) IncorporatingPractice:AMulti ViewpointApproachto PerformanceDocumentation JournalofMediaPracticeVol3No2pg Santone,Jessica(2008) MarinaAbramović sseveneasypieces:critical DocumentationStrategiesforPreservingArt shistory LeonardoVol41No2pg

The Tensile: Repetition, Reperformance, Rearticulation

The Tensile: Repetition, Reperformance, Rearticulation Peer Reviewed Proceedings of 5 th Annual Popular Culture Association of Australia and New Zealand (PopCAANZ), Hobart 18-20 June, 2014, pp.184-195. ISBN: 978-0-646-93292-7. 2014 GEORGIA BANKS University