- "The piece was lauded as an enactment of the physical vulnerability of women in a world where they are reduced to mere objects for looking at. This groundbreaking artwork is hailed as prophetic of feminist activism and of performance art as a form."
This excerpt, which is in reference to Yoko Ono's Cut Piece is an apt explanation of what made this piece so important. It is hard to believe that the piece was done almost sixty years ago, as the topics it discusses are done in such a forward thinking and masterful way. Instead of telling the audience what to think, the performance speaks for itself in a way that is used through implication and vulnerability. The audience reacts to the themes of feminism and objectification through feelings of discomfort and empathy, something that is achieved through Yoko Ono's vulnerability in her performance.
- "...her vision remains somewhat utopian and she still pursues the ideals which led her in the past. Ono truly believes that despite the rising terroristic activities, we are finally on our way to world peace, and she predicted that we will have heaven on Earth in 2050."
There is a lot of respect and admiration to be had for someone who has maintained an optimistic outlook for so long. At times, it is difficult to keep a positive outlook and instead easy to focus on all the negative parts of life. There is much to be said about the effects of remaining positive. A lot of individuals doing good things for those in their own life can go a long way, collectively creating a better picture overall.
Hispanic Executive | Interview with Shaun Leonardo - Performance, Pedagogy, and Philosophy
- "Somehow, I [don’t] recall ever being dissuaded [by the fact] that those “masters” were all dead white men. I found myself seeing these “great artworks” and believing I could achieve that."
Self belief can be a very powerful thing. Shaun Leonardo is a great example of someone who found success not only in spite of his background, but also with the discriminatory history almost being a nonfactor when it comes to how he approached his work. Just because a place was dominated by White men in the past does not mean this has to stay this same in the future.
- "I think the larger challenge surrounding not only the pandemic but also the converging crises of racial justice, reproductive rights, and everything else is the immediacy with which we are being called upon to act."
An often overlooked point when it comes to the changing world as it pertains to art is also the changing landscape of what, when, and where to publish work. As topics change as rapidly as they ever have, the turnaround also has to be applied to art and creative work as a whole. Topics come and go very quickly at times, which artists often have to adapt to as they explore ideas in very intimate ways that may require a long process.
Performance Art
What is performance art?
Performance art can take many forms, but it relies on action that is experienced and viewed in a way that cannot be reflected in a still image. Time is a needed part of performance art, and cannot just be reflected in a static creation. Performance art often takes the form of human performance, viewing activities, or through active participation.
The Canvas Piece
A piece that I am interested in exploring is that of bringing a blank canvas to a public location, preferably a large one. People would be presented with this canvas with two options: add to it, or remove from it.
For example, walking around with this canvas with pencils and offering the options of either drawing on the canvas or ripping from it could prove to have a commentary on community and self interest. Would people add to a beautiful piece of community, or would they destroy it for their own satisfaction? Would this destruction carry a deeper, more profound meaning? How would the first person respond to the prompt versus the fifth person?
- Choose a location to bring a blank canvas of your choice.
- Bring art supplies.
- Offer to add to the canvas, or take away from it.
- Elaborate how to add or how to remove if prompted in your preferred way.
- See how the end product evolved to get to where it is.
- Ask yourself, how many people added and how many people took away from the canvas?
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