1st Blog Entry

The Founding and Manifesto of Futurism

This article describes the creation of performance art and its differences with the "old" style of art that we have become accustomed to. The author chooses to express himself/ herself very vividly throughout the entire piece, sounding harsh and almost violent at some points. He/ she feels that performance art is a better form of expression than the art we find hanging and on display in traditional museums. The author also expresses his/ her anger towards the museums of Italy and the need for their destruction. I agree with the author that performance art seems to be the next generation of art and is strongly growing. However, I do not agree with his/ her attitude toward the destruction of traditional or historical art, because a new or more retro genre of art (performance art) would not be possible without a predecessor, that is traditional art.

http://www.guggenheimcollection.org/site/movement_works_Futurism_0.html

Interview with Allan Kaprow

Throughout this interview Allan Kaprow discussed many details of his background and personal history. He talked about his various levels of education, job history (including his teaching position at Rutgers University) and interaction with many pivotal figures of performance art. The interviewer then went on to call Kaprow the "father or modern movement in performance" as they discussed his involvement in performance, installation and assemblage. He then went on to state that most if not all performance relates to real time events. I would have to agree with Mr. Kaprow when he informed that interviewer that as a young man, he felt that he needed to have many options. An individual should always have the choice to pursue a different course or follow another option if he or she feels it is necessary. I disagree with Kaprow’s choice of dwelling during his years at Rutgers, as it only enforces the stereotype of poverty and art (starving artist).

http://www.artmuseum.net/w2vr/timeline/Kaprow.html

Performance Art

This piece discusses the birth of performance art and what the author believes encompasses this genre of art. Wilson discusses how performance art was born when Italian Futurist painters threw out their copies of "Against Passeist Venice" causing an actual physical confrontation to occur and thus giving birth to performance. Furthermore, the article discusses how performance is different from the theater and describes performance as a form of art. Through this new form, performance artists wish to change the world through their creations. I agree with Wilson as she describes the body as the new medium of art in this century. However, I do not fully agree with her idea that performance art was born with that specific act in Venice, Italy. It is almost impossible to pinpoint an exact date of when performance art was born and can only be left to speculation.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Performance_art