Archive for Performance Art? On archiving, transmission and mediation of an art form in motion

Abstract

At first glance, archiving performance art appears to be something of a contradiction in terms. This art form operates in the conflicting sphere between subversion of the prevailing conditions in the art field and the transmission of a young art form that is extremely relevant, especially from a feminist perspective. This study revolves around the question of whether traditional collection strategies are sufficient, or whether performance art does not also require artisticperformative methods of transmission. The performance holdings of Kunstraum Niederoesterreich in Vienna form the starting point for this investigation. Building on research results from performance studies, art theory and archival sciences, the transmission of artisticperformative practices is at the centre of the investigation. The dissertation not only examines the possibilities of archival description, but also explores artistic-performative strategies for transmission. The aim is to formulate recommendations for the implementation of a performance archive that transfers its materials into the space and into the repetition of artisticperformative practices. Such an approach not only promotes accessibility to this art form, but also recognises embodied practices as forms of knowledge that can pass on knowledge through and about artistic-performative practices. Their potential as forms of transmission is analysed using examples from my own artistic-research practice. For archival practice, the integration of artistic approaches means that the archive, in addition to its function as a repository of knowledge, is also recognised as a place of embodied collective artistic knowledge production.
Accordingly, archive materials in interplay with artistic-performative transmission strategies represent a potential to decisively deepen the understanding of and knowledge about past events.

Short biography

Marlies Surtmann lives and works in Vienna, where she is active in the fields of art, art theory and artistic research. In her work, she focuses on investigating the relationship between body, space, society and art, as well as questions of participation, exchange and collaboration as central elements of performative art. The PhD project was funded by the GFF Science Call Dissertations in cooperation with the Centre for Museal Collection Management at Danube University Krems (2019–2021). Together with Olivia Jaques, she founded the performance laboratory Performatorium (2019– ). Further she is part of the artistic research project Archives in Practice. Tracing, Actualising and Transmitting Socially Engaged Performance Practices funded by INTRA at the University of Applied Arts Vienna (2023).