Who Can Write About Performance Art?

Thursday, April 24, 6:30 PM
Einstein Auditorium, New York University, Steinhardt School of Culture, Educationand Human Development, Barney Building (34 Stuyvesant Street)

Performa is pleased to announce “Who Can Write About Performance Art?,” a lively informative panel discussion and forthcoming series of instructional workshops investigating the myriad knowledge and skills necessary to write thoughtful and insightful art criticism at the axis of dance and visual art, theater and performance, and every iteration in between. Panelists Claire Bishop, RoseLee Goldberg, Adrian Heathfield, John Rockwell, Hrag Vartanian, and David Velasco will contribute their own expertise in writing about performance in an evening that specifically focuses on the ways and means that writers approach their writing, to be as flexible in crossing these various borders as are the artists who create multi-, inter-, and trans-disciplinary works.

Specifically, panelists will discuss their backgrounds and interest in performance—do they come from art history, theater history, or literature?—share how they first came to write about performance, and express their ideas about the responsibilities of writing about work that demands a knowledge of several disciplines at once. Participants’ contributions are informed by their diverse perspectives and experiences in art criticism, ranging from publishing texts in international monthly art magazines, daily newspapers, and websites, to extensive, book-length scholarly publications.

“The inspiration for ‘Who Can Write About Performance Art?’ sprung from conversations with writers and artists about the challenges involved in covering performance. Critics are often specialized in one area, such as dance, but have a limited background in visual arts, which might be the starting point of a particular work. It’s an ongoing conversation and an exciting one, especially since we’re looking at increasing numbers of artists working in performance, and more and more museums committed to presenting them,” commented RoseLee Goldberg, Performa’s Founding Director and Curator.

Free with RSVP
RSVP at rsvp@performa-arts.org

Image: Ryan McNamara, MEƎM: A STORY BALLET ABOUT THE INTERNET, a Performa Commission for the Performa 13 biennial, 2013. Photograph © Paula Court. Courtesy Performa