Guangming Network Commentator: Performance art, what exactly the artist is expressing

Survive in Beijing for 21 days without spending money: a behavioral experiment on "surplus supplies."

Guangming Network commentator: Starting at 00:00 on May 1, CFA student Zou Yaqi wore a sable coat, carried a replica brand-name bag, stepped on a pair of shallow black leather shoes, and walked out of the gate of the Central Academy of Fine Arts with full force, and in the next three weeks, she mixed into the first-class lounge and enjoyed the buffet served for free three times a day; she also used the excuse of "waiting for friends" to get free snacks and fruits from the hot pot restaurant; and even prepared the reason for "catching adultery" and mixed into the hotel lobby for the night. When she dressed up as a single "rich woman" to visit the auction site, the security guard graciously helped her hand over water and take pictures; after sweeping half a plate of white chocolate, the waiter took the initiative to ask her if she needed more. These were filmed by Zou Yaqi and played in an exhibition of her graduation works.

"Survive in Beijing for 21 days without spending money," the experiment on the theme of appropriating "surplus supplies" is over, but the discussion is still ongoing.

Of all the art forms, performance art is probably the most controversial and difficult to understand art, with no specific rules and techniques, but full of speculation and unknown. "Surviving in Beijing for 21 days without spending money" is quite meaningful not only in the field of performance art in China, but also in social behavior from a non-artistic perspective. With the help of the Internet, the work has sparked a continuous public discussion about the social significance of the work, and the attention to performance art has deepened.

Of course, this discussion is a good thing. Performance art, which arose in Europe in the 1950s and 1960s, specifically refers to those process art works that have been personally joined by artists, carefully planned and launched acts or events, and through communication with people, they have developed step by step to form results. As one of the modern art forms, performance art can only appear if the social economy has reached a certain level, and only in a society with a certain degree of relaxation and freedom can performance art appear and trigger discussion.

The behavior of a performance artist is the presentation of abstract symbols. Returning to the work itself, the so-called "North Drifter" has a very different way of "drifting" among its group members. Migrant workers, yard farmers, white-collar blue-collar workers, celebrities, etc., each has its own "drifting" method. When they "drift" together, they constitute the social situation of the place where performance art takes place. The performance art of CAFA students is a perspective of a disguised "celebrity", reflecting the living conditions and lifestyles of different classes.

There are various angles to interpret this work, but one angle that cannot be avoided is that this performance art shows the society's relaxation of women, especially those who dress up and look good (perhaps after makeup), and in a considerable number of scenes at present, this relaxation is even raised to the perspective of "appearance is justice". The CAFA student, with his good looks, moves freely in and out of high-end consumption places — sometimes subject to some cross-examination, but mostly tolerated — not because of the high cost of consumption in these places, but because of the symbolic hint of appearance: Although there is no consumption, I have the ability to spend. The unimpeded flow of her behavior shows that at least in and out of her, people have recognized the "unspoken rule", that is, society must prepare or reserve a place with spending power for good-looking women. The importance of this "business card" can be seen here.

Of course, economic development and social progress are ultimately reflected in people's behavior and spiritual outlook. Vulgar behavior, rude talk, and hanging children are indeed phenomena that are annoying the scenery. This reflects the fact that they are respected for being well-dressed and elegant, and of course reflect the environment that different "drifting" methods may face. This, whether acknowledged or not, is the reality of society. However, everything is too late, and the excessive pursuit and worship of brand-name things wrapped around the body and appearance has also triggered a series of social problems, from appearance anxiety and crazy star chasing to self-harm plastic surgery. This is actually the other side of the authenticity of this work of art, and for some people, this is the harsh reality they have to face.

Performance art breaks the boundaries between art and everyday life and is an art form in which artists express their views on social issues. When we project our curious eyes on how to "live in Beijing for 21 days without spending money", it is even more important to see what the artist wants to explore and express.

(Please indicate the source of the reprint "Guangming Network", the author "Guangming Network Commentator")

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Source: Guangming Network