2/21 Weekly Selfie 5, Simple Act of Performance -- Kyle Pangilinan

Reflection

Looking into the past can reveal some good memories, but also ones we wish to forget. Often cringing at embarrassing moments, to regret things we've done or never did. But at some point, we need to move forward and make the best of the life we still have.

Berger, Ways of Seeing Chapter 1

1. "Images were first made to conjure up the appearances of something that was absent. Gradually it became evident that an image could outlast what it represented; it then showed how something or somebody had once looked -- and thus by implication how the subject had once been seen by other people," (Berger 10).

        Art in any medium can and will outlive the artist and every one of that relative generation. The statements from said artist may remain for a time, but eventually become lost and intertwined with future interpretations, inspiring new ideas.

2. "No other kind of relic or text from the past can offer such a direct testimony about the world which surrounded other people at other times. In this respect images are more precise and richer than literature," (Berger 10).

        Literary text can only describe so much for one generation of people, which may increase their imagination through interpretation; yet an image can provide more context to complement said literature. However, if it were just an image alone, all people can do is interpret what it means, whether the image is a photograph or artwork. By applying the world we live in now, what if the image was edited or doctored? Would future generations be able to differentiate fiction from reality? All of that will depend on what we share and how much we leave behind to make our mark on the world, to prove we existed and lived our lives.

Widewalls | Yoko Ono - A Groundbreaking Artist, Activist and Fighter

1. "As she explained, art represents a way of showing people how you can think, and even though some people think of it as a beautiful wallpaper that you can sell, Yoko Ono rather perceives it as a direct connection with activism."

        Art may be subjective regardless of the artist's statement, but it represents something meaningful, whether by the audience and/or the artist.

2. "The pioneering conceptual artist, musician, performer and activist, is now 82 years old. Recently, she stated in an interview that she felt like she was starting a new life, a second life. Either way, it doesn’t seem like she’s done with this one yet, and we can surely expect even more artworks from this prolific creator. Her latest causes include campaigning for gun control and against fracking, her vision remains somewhat utopian and she still pursues the ideals which led her in the past. Ono truly believes that despite the rising terroristic activities, we are finally on our way to world peace, and she predicted that we will have heaven on Earth in 2050. If her hopes, aspirations and dreams will come true, we cannot know, but only time will tell."

        Despite the dark reality of the world we live in today, we have to try to live our best lives. We need to aspire for greater things that will benefit us, so long as we stay true to ourselves.

Hispanic Executive | Interview with Shaun Leonardo - Performance, Pedagogy, and Philosophy

1. "I don’t know what drove me to identify as an artist because it wasn’t within my familial background—not that I know of anyway—and my only exposure to art, growing up in Queens, were the moments here and there where we visited the Queens Museum and the Metropolitan Museum."

        When we were young, we had no direction in life, whether or not we were provided guidance. However, it is through unique experiences, that we may find our purpose in life.

2. "That is echoed by visual elements in the space: the windows on one side are obscured by mirrors, so you continuously see your own image as you pass through and take in these prompts. Opposite each of the actual windows is a fake window that duplicates exactly what you might see to your left but with one element slightly askew. So you’re presented with two realities of the same location, one which notes where you actually are and then a limited window that gives you the possibility of seeing that same present tense in a different context."

        Sometimes, you have to look at one thing from different angles to gain a new perspective, changing your worldview.

Being Marina Abramović, Even When No One’s Looking

1. "My old friend Rebecca Horn is a wonderful German artist. After she has lunch, she goes to sleep. Except she’ll say: “I’m going to work.” When she wakes up, she will have had a dream. And then she’ll make her work. So, she counts her sleep as working hours. Many artists get their best ideas from their dreams or in a state of complete tranquillity. I hate the studio. It’s a trap to me. Ideas come from life."

        When working on a project for an extensive amount of time, artists need to rest and continue their work with fresh eyes and mentality, one may have new ideas after a break.

2. "When I don’t have a gram of energy left in my entire body or soul, then I know. Therefore, criticism doesn’t affect me anymore. My early works were heavily criticized; now, they’re all in the most important museum collections. But at the time, if I read criticism, I couldn’t leave the house, even though I knew the work was good. At the same time, I can tell when a work is not good, even if it’s being called a masterpiece. It’s a gut feeling."

        Half, if not, most of the time, brutally honest constructive criticism is what an artist truly needs to succeed and be the best they can be -- even if they do not know it yet.

Khan Academy Performance Art An Introduction

Murakami Saburō, Passing Through, 1956, Performance view: 2nd Gutai Art Exhibition, Ohara Kaikan, Tokyo, 1956 © Makiko Murakami and the former members of the Gutai Art Association

        I resonate with the exuberant nature of this performative piece. I am under the impression Murakami is breaking out of his shell and living life to the fullest.

Bill Viola, The Crossing, 1996, two-channel color video installation, with four channels of sound; 10 min., 57 sec.; performer: Phil Esposito, 4.9 x 8.4 x 17.4 m (Guggenheim Museum) © Bill Viola

        Viola's performance piece makes me think of a person feeling all their emotions, acknowledging whatever it is they are going through to move forward. You can't hold it in, otherwise you would end up hurting yourself.