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Degrees of Participation in Performance Art (DoPiPA)
This model aims to present the different degrees of audience participation possible in performance artworks. The model is to be used in addition to the Documentation Tools presented by Louise Lawson and Hélia Marçal at Tate Modern.
The model presents conditions for the four degrees of participation in a performance artwork, and attempts to assist the museum staff in properly documenting and displaying artworks.
The degrees are defined through observations of trends in performance artworks.
1st degree: Chronological separation of Audience and Performance:
Participation is impossible.
At this degree of participation, the performance artwork has already taken place and is now being experienced by the spectator through documentation, either video, audio, photography or relics.
When displaying performance artworks of this character, the museum should take precautions equal to those taken when displaying other artworks in the same media, i.e. Time-Based Media art, photography or relics.
It’s important to note that the performance artworks of this type often require thorough accompanying text to ensure proper understanding of the artwork as a performance artwork and not media art.
2nd degree: Spatial separation of Audience and Performance:
Participation is possible, but difficult.
At this degree of participation, the performance artwork is actively taking place, and is being experienced live by the spectator through some degree of spatial separation, often through mediatization (i.e. livestream, audio-transmission)
When displaying performance artworks of this character the museum should take precautions equal to those taken when displaying other artworks in the same media, i.e. Time-Based Media art.
It’s important that the audience is made aware that the performance is live, and that the audience is not viewing media art.
It’s important that the museum has technically proficient staff available during the performance of the artwork to ensure proper execution.
3rd degree: Audience as live spectator:
Participation is possible and sometimes encouraged.
At this degree of participation, the performance artwork is actively taking place and is being experienced live by the spectator. With the artist (or actor on behalf of the artist) physically present, in front of a physically present audience able to interact with the actor or being interacted with by the actor.
When displaying artworks of this character the museum should take precautions to ensure the safety of the performer and the audience, furthermore the museum must reach agreement with the artist on the degree of audience participation desired and possible. The reached degree of participation should be communicated clearly to the audience through signage, communication and nudging.
It’s important to communicate the degree of possible interaction to ensure the safety of actors, audience and museum staff. And to minimize risks of audience dissatisfaction. It’s equally important to properly educate museum staff in audience management to ensure the safety of the staff and actor.
For best documentation it’s important to also document the audience and their reception to the artwork.
4th degree: Audience as actor:
Participation is required. At this degree of participation, the performance artwork is dependent on the audience. An instructor might be present to ensure the audience executes the performance artwork.
When displaying artworks of this character the museum should take precautions to ensure the consent of participating audience members, and the required degree of participation should be communicated clearly to the audience through signage and communication with staff.
It’s important to communicate the degree of interaction to ensure the safety of audience, instructor and museum staff and to minimize the risk of audience dissatisfaction. It’s equally important to properly educate museum staff in audience management to ensure the safety of all participants and onlookers.
For best documentation it’s important to also document the audience and their reception to the artwork.
Application:
As indicated in literature and Tates Documentation Tools the preservation of performance art is dependent on the activation of performance art. The activation of this performance art is dependent on the Museum or other institution being able to safely and properly handle the Performance artwork and the audience’s reception of it. The model aims to be used in addition to the Documentation Tools and can only be used to a limited degree without it.
Outliers:
Some artworks exist outside the clear definitions of the degrees of participation. These are artworks which combine aspects of the different degrees of participation, thereby escaping clear definition. Outliers should be treated with precautions corresponding to relevant degrees of participation. Also taking into account how these different degrees might amplify or attenuate each other.
An example of an artwork of this type is Domestic Tension (2007) by Wafaa Bilal, this artwork consisted of the artist Wafaa Bilal live-streaming an installation with himself present at the Flatlife Gallery in Chicago. Viewers of the livestream could remotely control and fire a paintball gun aimed at Bilal. The audience present at the gallery had no access to this livestream but could interact with Bilal directly. Audience participation was possible in multiple ways in this artwork, and with differing degrees. (NET ART ANTHOLOGY, 2016)
The audience could interact with each other and Bilal face to face by visiting the Flatlife Gallery, which many audience members did.
The audience accessing the website of the live-stream, could interact with each other and Bilal by using the chatroom on the website of the live-stream.
The audience accessing the website of the live stream, could (and were encouraged to) interact with Bilal by aiming the paintball gun and firing it at him, by pushing a button on the website.
The degree of participation in this artwork are not clearly defined, and the artwork doesn’t fit clearly into the structure of the model. The artwork is spatially separated (2nd degree) from the audience as it is available to the public through live stream. The artwork is available physically by visiting the gallery (3rd degree), but the intended audience of the artwork is the audience watching the live stream. The audience becomes attendants of the work with their own agency through controlling the paintball gun (4th degree), but this control is mediated through digital tools and regardless of the spatial separation (NET ART ANTHOLOGY, 2016). Thus the artwork can be presented in both the 2nd, 3rd and 4th degree, and can now be experienced by an audience in the 1st degree through text and photo documentation.
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