Abstract
Facilitated by Dagmar I. Glausnitzer-Smith over six consecutive days, this experimental and experiential workshop in the heart of Beijing, in the district 798
Hosted by IFP, Art and Cultural Foundation Beijing
this workshop is offering a unique, practical performance art input where participants will experience an array ÔÇ¿of practical and theoretical methodologies, processes and approaches to Performance Art, whilst ÔÇ¿being actively encouraged to delve into new and unchartered territory and explore their own individual directions. A Public Performance Programme of participants‘ work will follow the workshop.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Publication status | Published - Jun 2016 |
| Externally published | Yes |
| Event | Playing the Fool - Performance Workshop - Beijing, China Duration: 16 Jun 2016 → 19 Jun 2016 |
Workshop
| Workshop | Playing the Fool - Performance Workshop |
|---|---|
| Period | 16/06/16 → 19/06/16 |
Bibliographical note
Note: The IFP, Institute for Provocation, founded in 2010, run by Chen Shuyu and Max Gerthel initiated the idea of a Performance Art Workshop taking place in China. The workshops were supported by the Goethe Institut, forming part of their Kulturprogramm for June 2016.Impact: It was the first time to introduce the Performance Art Workshop in China. The IFP, Institute for Provocation, founded in 2010, run by Chen Shuyu and Max Gerthel initiated the idea of a Performance Art Workshop taking place in China in 2015. Through the sincere efforts and in-put by Hannah O‘Flynn, organisation and communication, and the final agreement of support by the Goethe Institute, Beijing the workshop dates 16 - 19th June, 2016 established their firm position in the Goethe Insitute‘s June programme of 2016.
The workshop‘s practical exercises were realised during three days in the entrance forum area and the final presentation took place in the adjacent Library area. Although during the practical development and approach, to what could embrace the ideas of Performance Art, it is always a sensitive ground for participants to explore their own courage, to overcome fears of presence during these early stages in the eye of the viewer. Yet the openness of the space, accessibility of the public and the visitors of the Goethe Institute did not influence or disturb the presence in our work process.
Participants were invited by IFP to apply and 15 artists and practitioners of other creative, professional backgrounds were selected from approx. 25 applications. The selected participant‘s were able to attend this special Performance Art Workshop free of charge.
For all individuals involved it was an opportunity as well as a challenge to apply their most inner emotional aspects against their individual in-put through language barriers, understanding, the awareness for the notion of intuition and spontaneity coupled with the intellectual knowledge and aspects of control. Though for the necessary and final situation, the workshop was compromised by missing to conduct Workshop Day 4, which involves the theoretical 'backbone‘ of artistic practise,by reflecting: idea process, planning, negotiating knowing and un-knowing conditions of the mind, recognition of materials and giving extreme attention to the contextual and spatial circumstances.
For the final presentation day, it is important to maintain a neutral and less occupied area to allow for a defined environment at these early stages in the delivery of the Performance Art Workshop. The difference of space becomes apparent in possibilities to combine 'outside‘ spaces with 'inside‘ spaces.
I am grateful that this collaborative experimentation of conducting a Performance Art Workshop in China has opened doors for the near future to extend and expand the artistic practise and specify the work of contemporary Performance Art Practise.
Dagmar I. Glausnitzer-Smith, Beijing 2016
Organising Body: Institute for Provocation, Goethe Institut
Keywords
- Art and design