CAMERA/ACTION: PERFORMANCE AND PHOTOGRAPHY

This article presents an interesting view of the uncomfortable harmony between performance art and photography. Although the two are hugely different and in some ways defeating to the other, this writing proves that the two can be used to defy those preconceptions and excel each other to a different plane. Although photography may seem counterintuitive to a live happening, it is a fact (as proven through the many examples of the article) that it has been and most will continue to be used as documentation and often an extension of the piece. Some may feel that this relationship is inappropriate, but when it comes down to it, that doesn't mean it won't work or people won't partake in it.

The main issue to remember is that all aspects of a work are more or less under the control of the artist. If an artist feels that photography would hinder his/her work, then he/she should find a way to eliminate it from the equation. Photography is not some unstoppable force invading the performance art world. If it is used, it should be used at the artist's discretion to either record or compliment the artist's "vision." True, archiving a performance in some way changes its dynamic, but a talented artist should consider this change and account for it accordingly.