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Between Action and Image: Performance as Inframedium | Tate

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Between Action and Image: Performance as Inframedium

By JonahWesterman
20January2015
Whatwoulditmeantothinkofperformanceasamedium?Orrather,whatwoulditdotoourusualmodesof
articulatingperformanceart,itsmeanings,anditshistories?Itmightatfirstsoundoddtopositperformance
asamedium,giventhatwenormallythinkofitasresolutelyephemeral.Butthinkingaboutperformancein
relationtomediahasalwaysbeenpartofhowcriticsandscholarshavedealtwithitsforms,evenand
especiallywhenmakingthestrongestcasesforitsinevitableevanescence.
In1993PeggyPhelanwrotethatPerformancesonlylifeisinthepresentthatitcannotbesaved,
recorded,documented,orotherwiseparticipateinthecirculationofrepresentationsofrepresentations:once
itdoessoitbecomessomethingotherthanperformance. 1 ForPhelan,aworkofperformanceartonly
existsaslongastheexactdurationofitsstaging.Repeatperformancescompriseentirelydifferentworks,
andanydocumentationanytranslationintomediatedformscanonlyretrospectivelygesturetowardthat
whichoncewas,butisnomore.Phelandrawsthisontologicallineinthesandbecause,forher,thevalueof
performanceliesinitsdisappearance:Withoutacopy,liveperformanceplungesintovisibilityina
maniacallychargedpresentanddisappearsintomemory,intotherealmofinvisibilityandtheunconscious
whereiteludesregulationandcontrol. 2 Becauseitvanishes,performancehasthepowertoshortcircuitthe
normalfunctioningoftheartmarketsprofitmotiveandtoescapethepowerofmasteringnarratives.
InPhelansaccount,performancesidentityanditsattendantcapacitiesaresecuredthroughanegative
relationtomedia.Performanceisnotaphotograph,notavideo,notasubsequentwrittenaccount,noteven
theaggregateofmemoriesstemmingfromtheactsincethese,too,onlyrepresentpartialapproachestothe
thingitselfjustripplingwavesgeneratedby,butnotidenticalto,thestoninessofthestonenowforever
submergedbeneathitsownglisteningtraces.Forher,performanceistheartformthatisnotone,thatwhich
exceedsthephotograph,thatwhichevadesthevideo,andsoon.Performanceisrawimmediacy.
PhilipAuslanderhasadoptedadiametricallyoppositeviewofthisrelationship.Forhim,mediationiswhat
createsperformanceinthefirstplace.In2006hewrote,Documentationdoesnotsimplygenerate
image/statementsthatdescribeanautonomousperformanceandstatethatitoccurred:itproducesanevent
asaperformance. 3 Thatis,thoseformerlyinadequateandobscuringripplescannowbeunderstoodnot
onlytodescribethesize,speedandtrajectoryofthestonethatcreatedthem,normerelytoproveandattest
thattherewasastonethatstruckthewater,buttodrawourattentiontotheeventassomethingsignificant,
somethingworthyofourattentionbecauseithasleftitsmarkontheworldandourexperienceofit.
Auslanderdemonstratesthemightofthisexpostfactoproductionbydescribingworksthatneverhappened
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inthewaytheyareportrayedperformancesthatexistsolelyasworksofmediation.
HefocusesonartistYvesKleinsfamouslyconfabulatedphotograph,Leapinto
theVoid1960(fig.1).ThisblackandwhiteimagecapturesKleininfullbodyprofile
andinthemiddledistance(fromthestandpointofthecamera)ashetakesaswan
divefromatwostorybuilding,frozenattheheightofhisarcbeforetheimpending
plummettothesidewalkbelow.Whenitwasstaged,agroupofpeopleonthe
streetwerewaitingwithanettocatchhim.Inthefinalcollagedimagethat
circulatesasLeapintotheVoid,however,thispracticalprecautionhasbeen
carefullyexcised,anotherviewoftheunforgivingandunpeopledgroundstanding
inforthoseopenarms.AsAuslanderputsit,Theimageweseethusrecordsan
eventthatnevertookplaceexceptinthephotographitself. 4 Evenso,he
argues,Leapisnolessaperformanceforneverhavinghappened.InAuslanders
view,thephotographmakestheperformancenotonlyratifyingit,buttypifyingit
andcallingitintobeingasanactionintendedforconsiderationbyanaudience.It
isthephotographthatcreatestheperformance,andcontinuallycreatesitevery
timesomeoneseestheimage.Here,whateverisaliveinperformanceisinitiated
throughitsmediation.

Fig.1
YvesKlein
LeapintotheVoid1960
YvesKlein,ADAGP,
Paris
Photo:ShunkKender
RoyLichtenstein
Foundation

AuslanderconfrontstheghostofPhelansnegativeontologythathauntshisinterventionbycomparing
KleinsLeaptoChrisBurdensequallyiconicShoot1971,whichalsopurportstopresentafleetingactionin
photography(fig.2).ForShoot,Burdenhadhimselfshotinthearmbyamarksmanarmedwitharifle.
PhotographscapturethetensemomentbeforethebulletisloosedtheshooterreadyandaimingasBurden
standsagainstablankwhitestudiowallaswellastheimmediateaftermaththeartistwalkingacrossthe
studio,snapshottakenfromhisleftsidesothe.22caliberthroughandthroughonhistricepanditstelltale
trickleofbloodareinprominentevidence.Polemically,Auslanderasks:
WhatdifferencedoesthefactthattheimageofChrisBurdendocumentssomethingthatreally
happenedandtheimageofYvesKleindoesnotmaketoourunderstandingoftheseimagesin
relationtotheconceptofperformancedocumentation?Myanswer:Ifweareconcernedwiththe
historicalconstitutionoftheseeventsasperformances,itmakesnodifferenceatall. 5

Fig.2
ChrisBurden
Shoot1971
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Auslanderdivorcesthefacticityofdepictedeventsfromtherealityeffectproducedbytheirultimateformsit
lookslikeKleinjumpsrecklessly,justasitlookslikeBurdengotshot.Forhim,thateffectisthelocationof
performance.Auslanderconcludes,Itmaywellbethatoursenseofthepresence,power,andauthenticityof
thesepiecesderivesnotfromtreatingthedocumentasanindexicalaccesspointtoapasteventbutfrom
perceivingthedocumentitselfasaperformancethatdirectlyreflectsanartistsaestheticprojectorsensibility
andforwhichwearenowthepresentaudience. 6 Suchathoughtexperimentwashesawaylayersof
accruedanxietyovercomingtoperformance(s)toolate.
ButyoudonothavetobePeggyPhelantoseethatthisnotionofperformanceasamediatedartifact,one
thatreflectsanartistsaestheticproject,forfeitsanyandallclaimstoitsbeingdifferentfromanykindofart
whatsoever.Isthisnottrueofallphotography,film,painting,sculpture,andsoon,producedsincethe
adventoftheconceptsartandartist(atleastintermsofthewesterndisciplinarylanguageofarthistory)?
PhelaneffacesanysignificantconnectionbetweenperformanceanditstraceswhileAuslanderelidesany
differencebetweenactionandartifact.Thesharedresultofeachoftheseattemptstodefineperformanceis
toposititasasovereigncategory,yetmakeitunknowable.ForPhelan,thisisthestatedaimthestoneis
losttothewaterbutforAuslanderthiserasureisanunintended(andironic)consequenceweencounter
aninfinitehomogeneoussurface,everyundulationlikeanyother.Foralltheverbiageinvested,wedonot
knowperformanceanybetter.
Surelytheremustbeaspacebetweenthesetwoantipodes,aterrainonwhichwecouldsensitivelydrawout
howperformancerelatestoitsmediawhilerespectingdistinctions.In1965artistDickHigginsusedtheterm
intermediumtodescribethennewworksofartthatheunderstoodtofallbetweenmedia. 7 Hewastalking
aboutHappenings,whichtheessaydescribedasanunchartedlandthatliesbetweencollage,music,and
thetheater,butalsoaboutRauschenbergscombines,Oldenburgssoftsculptures,andgoingsonatJudson
Dance,amongotherexamples. 8 ForHiggins,thistransgressionofartstraditionallinesechoedthedays
socialunrest.ThenotionofapuremediumcouldnolongerholdwhenCastrowork[ed]inthecanefields
andNewYorksMayorLindsaywalk[ed]toworkduringthesubwaystrike. 9 Withsuchanequationbetween
artstakingflightfrommediumspecificityandtheseemingsignsofareorganisationofsocietyinmind,itisall
themorebafflingtoconfrontthelaterdesiretopinpointandprotectperformancesontology,itsmedium
identity,inthenameofsecuringitsradicalpotential.Despitehissensethatthemodeofintermediality
signaledanepochalshiftinartproduction,Higginsinsiststhattheconceptcanonlyofferastartingpointfor
furtheranalysisandunderstanding:itallowsforaningresstoaworkwhichotherwiseseemsopaqueand
impenetrable,butoncethatingresshasbeenmadeitisnolongerusefultoharpupontheintermedialityofa
work. 10 Startingfromtherealisationthatartworkscancompriseintermedia,onemustthenproceedto
interrogatewhichmediaarebeingintermingledandwhy.
Thisideacanbringussomedistanceinapproaching(withspecificity,ratherthanflatteningequality)the
casesAuslanderraises.Forexample,thinkinginintermedialtermscouldmeanconceivingLeapinrelationto
collageandShootinrelationtophotojournalism.Pullingtheworksapartinthiswaywouldsetusontrackto
appreciatingtheirdifferences,whyitmattershistoricallyandaestheticallythatoneimagecorrespondsmore
closelytoafacticexperienceoflivedrealitythantheother.Westillrunintoadeadend,however,solongas
weimagineeitherofthesecollageorphotojournalismtobemixed,orintermedialised,withperformance.
For,doingsostillpresumesperformancetobeasovereigncategorythispresumptionpreservestheinitial
binarytermsofthedocumentationproblematicasPhelanlaysitout:performance(asaction)ononehand
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documentationontheother.Assoonasweattempttodrawdistinctionsbetweentheperformancesbasedon
howtheymakeuseofmedia,weendupseparatingactionfromartifactand,thus,rightbackwhere
westarted.
Tothinkthroughperformancesrelationtomedia(withoutlosingeithertermtotheotherspriority),itis
imperativetoimagineanintermediumthatdoesnotmerelycombinealreadyidentifiable,discreteartistic
media(evenifitchangesthemintosomeotherartformgreaterthanthesumofitsparts)butthatalso
bridgesthespaceofartwithactivities,actions,andprocessesimaginedtobebeyonditspurviewi.e.,the
spaceoflife,thingsnotyetframedbyartisticdiscourseandpractice,butwhichcanbebroughtwithinit.This
isalreadytosomeextentwhatHigginshadinmindwiththeexampleshechooses,buthepointsdirectlyat
thisproblembymentioningMarcelDuchamp.Hewrites,Thereadymadeorfoundobject,inasensean
intermediumsinceitisnotintendedtoconformtothepuremediumsuggestsalocationbetweenthe
generalareaofartmediaandthoseoflifemedia. 11 ThislocationisthespacebetweenPhelanand
Auslander,anditisthisblurryinterzonebetweenartmediaandlifemediathatmustbeourpointof
departureinconsideringtherelationshipbetweenactionandmediationinperformance.
Thereadymadeisusuallythoughtofasanobjectlessoninradicaldislocation,adisjunctiveleapacross
unlikespacestakeaurinal,removeitfromthebathroom(orhardwarestore),putitinagallery,titleitandit
becomesFountain(fig.3).Buttheideaofintermediality(asbringingtogetherartmediaandlifemedia)
suggestsweshouldseethereadymadeasanactofspatialcompressioninstead,theproductionofakindof
wormholethatbringsthesetwoformerlydistantplacesinfinitelyclosetogether,asopposedtoadefinitive
cleavagethatseparatesthem.Indeed,thisproductionofproximityexplainsmuchbetterwhyFountainwas
capableofdisgustingitsfirstaudiences(andstillisineveryclassroominwhichIhaveevertaught).The
objectneverstopsbeingaurinalbutitalsobecomessculpture,meaningitsimultaneouslyisandisnot
aurinal.

Fig.3
MarcelDuchamp(18871968),Fountain1917,replica1964
SuccessionMarcelDuchamp/ADAGP,ParisandDACS,London2002

Thisinfinitesimal,vibrating,uncertaindistanceiswhatDuchampcalledtheinframince,usuallytranslatedas
infrathintoothintobethin,orevenmorethinthanthin.Hisexamplesincludethewarmthfeltontheseat
ofachairjustaftersomeonegetsupfromitandthespacebetweenthefrontandbacksidesofasheetof
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paper.Weexperiencetheinfrathinwhentobaccosmokeexhaledalsosmellsofthemouthwhichexhalesit,
orwhenweviewanimagepaintedonglassfromthenonpaintedside. 12 Thetwoelementssmokeand
breath,orglassandpaintremainintelligible,perceptible,butwhereonestopsandtheotherstartsis
unidentifiable,toofinetograsp.
Performancebringsartmediaandlifemediatogetheralonganinfrathinedge.Thismeansthatwhenwe
considerperformanceandmedia,weshouldnotlamenttheirretrievablelossofthestone,oreraseits
distinctionfromthewaterysurround,butratherconcentrateonthethresholdmomentbetweenitsbeingdry
andbeingwet.Thatkissingspatialplane,thattemporalmembrane,isperformanceasamedium.Itisan
infrathincominglingofmediawhatwecouldcallaninframedium.Tofocusonthethresholdthisway
is,pacePhelanandAuslander,toimagineperformancelessasathinginitself(whetherlocatedinanaction
oritstraces)andmoreasaspatialsituation,asamobileandprofoundlyindistinctdividinglinethatjoinsform
toexperienceand,byvirtueofitsspecificsitinginagivenwork,describesthelocationandcomposition
ofeach.
AsFountainisbothaurinalandasculpture,soLeapintotheVoidisbothanactoffaithandacontrolled
manipulationofform.ItmattersequallythatKleinjumpedfromthebuildingandthathedidsoconceivingin
advancethatthefinalproductwouldbeacollagedphotograph.Theimageisdesignedtosettheborder
betweenliveactionandcrystallisedformbuzzing.Andittreatshisbodyandphotographyasmediacapable,
whencombined,ofproducinganartworkthataffordsaglimpseoftranscendence.AlongwithAuslander,we
wouldhavetosaythatinthisregardLeapreflectsKleinsaestheticproject.Acanvassaturatedwith
impastoedInternationalKleinBluedeliversthesamemomentarydefianceofgravity,astheexperienceof
visionseemstodancefreefromitscorporealanchor.Butbyusinghisownbody(foronce)toachievethis
effectKleinaskshisviewerstosee,additionally,howsuchayearningcanonlyeverbeexpressedthrough
form,howthesearchfortheimpossibleandinexpressibleisconductedpreciselythroughwhatwecando
andmake.Leapmakesspiritchafeagainstfleshtheinfrathinlinethatunitesanddividesthetwoiswhere
theperformancehappens.
Likewise,Shootisbothanactofselfsacrificeandacalculatedpresentationofartisticmastery.Itiscrucialto
theworkthatBurdenreallydidgetshot,anditisequallyimportantthatthephotographsconveythisactionin
thewaytheydo.TheflightofthebulletmimicstheinstantaneityofliveactionasPhelanwouldseeit,andthe
photographicstrategyofcapturingthemomentsjustbeforeandafterBurdengetshitheightensour
apprehensionofShootsbriefpassageintime.Thephotographsconspiretoamplifytheephemerality,
presentingitagainandagaintonewaudiences.Intheseways,again,PhelanandAuslanderareeachright
tosomeextent.Butthepointistothinkbothofthesemomentstogetherascomprisingperformance.Itis
worthmentioning,moreover,thatoneofDuchampsmanyexamplesoftheinfrathinisthemomentbetween
hearingapistolfireandseeingitstargetpierced.Theinfrathinseamthatjoinssignifiedandsignifieriswhat
theperceivingaudienceencounters.WithShoot,weconfronttheplacewhereviolencebecomesanobjectof
consumption.ArthistorianKathyODellhasarguedthatthispiece(andotherexamplesofwhatshe
describesasmasochisticbodyartofthe1970s)shouldbeseeninrelationtotheircontemporaneous
televisualenvironment,whichfeaturedthefirsteverrealtimeimagesofcombatasnewscoverageofthe
VietnamWarbeameditswayintoAmericanhomes. 13 Shootwasnotonlydesignedtobephotographed,
butwasmediatedinadvanceinbeingaresponsetosuchtelevisedfootage(anditshavingalreadymarried
lifemediawithartmedia).
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Performancehappensatthethresholdofactionandimage.Thatplaceisimpossibletoidentifydefinitively,to
cordonorsequester,andthisiswhyeventhemostsophisticatedattemptstodefineperformanceasathing
initselfendupeithersubmergingitbeneathunknowabledepthsorconflatingitwiththeformswithwhichit
travels.Butapproachingperformanceasaninframediumoffersagenerativemethodforexploringworksthat
mightatfirstseemopaqueandimpenetrable,asHigginsputsit.Weneedtoworrylessaboutthetimeof
performanceandwhetheritwasthenornoworalways,andthinkmoreaboutwhereithappens,whatit
bringstogetherandhowthatspatialsituationbothquestionsanddescribesourownvantageontothenexus
ofartandlife.
JonahWesterman
AHRCPostdoctoralResearcher,Tate
January2015

Notes
1. PeggyPhelan,Unmarked:ThePoliticsofPerformance,NewYorkandLondon1993,p.146.
2. Ibid,p.148.
3. PhilipAuslander,ThePerformativityofPerformanceDocumentation,PAJ:AJournalofPerformanceandArt84,vol.28,no.3,
September2006,p.5.
4. Ibid,p.2.
5. Ibid,p.5.
6. Ibid,p.9.
7. DickHiggins,Intermedia,inHorizons,Illinois1984,p.18.FirstpublishedinSomethingElseNewsletter1,no.1,NewYork1966.
8. Ibid,p.22.
9. Ibid,p.18.
10.1981addendumtoIntermedia,ibid,p.27.
11.Ibid,p.20.
12.MichelSanouilletandElmerPeteron(eds.),TheWritingsofMarcelDuchamp,Oxford1973,p.194.SeealsoThomasGirst,The
DuchampDictionary,London2014,pp.978.
13.SeeKathyODell,ContractwiththeSkin:Masochism,PerformanceArt,andthe1970s,Minneapolis1998.

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