Hello Arlis friends,

 

I am in the midst of writing a term paper on how museums, and more specifically, art librarians/archivists have attempted to document, catalog and preserve performance art.  By performance art, I mean specifically those works emerging within modernist art practices, sometimes seen as an extension of Conceptualist and Abstract Expressionist movements, NOT the more traditional dance/theater performances (think Carolee Schneeman, Vito Acconci, Marina Abramovic).  I find this topic interesting because performance art in of itself is ephemeral in nature, therefore it is not apparent to an art archivist what the "correct" approach may be as opposed to handling static art objects (like paintings).

 

What I am looking for specifically are suggestions of scholarly articles or authors that have written about this issue. 

 

Also, I would like to know if anyone is aware of any attempt to standardize performance art documentation (for example, a document like TC-04, but for P.A.?) 

 

I have found several helpful articles in the wonderful Performance Art Journal (PAJ).  However, this topic seems to be approached more philosophically rather than practically.  I am in a Library Sciences Master so I am already over the question of whether or not it should be done (some argue that performance art is "uncapturable!")

 

Any help would be most appreciated.  Thank you, and hope you are enjoying your Holidays.

 

Best,

Mary Kidd