Preface

Conceptual performance has a purpose of contribution to changing/enriching certain narratives in the society on philosophical and ideological level. It is contextualised in expanded field for performance and the performer, whose individual and collective personality ranges across many possible fields of activities (think tanks of various expertise, for example).

This kind of performances might not engage with viewers in relational or interventionist way (although they may include respective components) - their focus is on unveiling alternative perspectives of seemingly common subjects, disrupting traditional understanding, hacking institutional rigidity and providing a mindful space for reflection on alternatives to the order of things through enhanced, ‘charged’ understanding. Their mission is to charge the audience with intuitive energy of intellectual and emotional curiosity. Creation of active interest and understanding, mental involvement of the audience is of the crucial importance, but unlike in forms of the interventionist art or relational aesthetics the ‘experience’ is meant to rest in the framework of the mind of the viewer.

Why impactful, meta-modern and meta-conceptual perspectives?  

‘Impactful’ performance is meant to push the boundaries of accepted  frameworks towards new horizons, preparing the foundations for realisation of potential for art to become a legitimate stage for discussion and generation grand narratives. Transnational, national, financial and other institutions with retrograde, devolutionary potential are viewed through unconventional lenses by the public.

Despite seeming instrumentality of the logic of ‘impact’, it is not to be taken literally exclusively from social or political perspective - the logic of fundamental science is applicable here equally. Like in algebra or philosophy, absence of idea of the immediate application of result(s) doesn’t constitute uselessness or folly. The ‘result’ as such should be present in one way or another in order to provide potentiality for impact. It is about taking further definition of ‘art for art’s sake’ - this art played and plays the role of fundamental science. It doesn’t address particular societal or political challenge, but can be a guide towards paradigmatic redefinition.

One of the concrete realisations of conceptual performance impact is what philosopher Daniel Dennet calls intuition pump - a playful setting or staging specific conditions (social, academic, etc.), in which audience is triggered to train intuition and serendipity as a brain muscle.

Meta-modernism is fresh attempt to give positive meaning and charge with romantic optimism scarcity of postmodern reality, consequently causing many contemporary crises, mood of pessimism, sarcasm and sense of total collapse inevitability. Represented contradiction between modernism and postmodernism (‘oscillation’ as authors call it), although claimed otherwise, is an interpretation of Hegelian dialectics. Absence of ‘telos’ in meta-modernism, highlighted by the authors, seems not to be correct - further development of human potential within or beyond tradition seems to be the universal goal of while ensuring happiness (‘gross national happiness index’ or ‘social development index’ to replace GDP) in the process can be regarded as universal trait. The ‘telos’ itself is meta-modern in a way of blending postmodern and modern - mixing in itself essences and aesthetic features of various cultural and philosophic traditions, from Buddhism to Western Enlightenment and so on, became possible with technology available at our hands in the age of deconstruction of post-structuralism.

Meta-conceptualism, formulated in this text as a response to Peter Osborne’s post-conceptualism, calls for more attention to actual importance of influence, additional usage and recycling potential of a concept of an artwork on the revitalising  grand-narrative/meta-narrative via praising methodological and universal approach to holism. Calls for blending art and technology in schools is one of the drums of this holistic approach. Liberalisation of access of all audiences and participants to experimentation with knowledge and application of the ‘blending’ strategy is crucial for it’s success - one of the foremost achievements of our time is radically eased access to the information. Meta-conceptualism charges the potential to resist the influence of simple political and marketing manipulation techniques, a very important brain muscle to train in our age.

By praising it’s conceptual goal of contribution into meta-narrative, it highlights  the return of the history and ideology, but rather than picturing the negative and dooming outcome of it tries to analyse these processes as an opportunity for paradigmatic reformation of the institutional framework we live in today with the guidance and inspiration coming from the art world. Potential impact and notion of charging the artwork for secondary level impact should not be understood as only interpretable in one or several particular forms (intended by the artist, for example) - it must be able to suggest rich (if not infinite) variety of self-generating outcomes, depending on the audience, in the spirit of presented by the artist meta-narrative. Meta-conceptualism is about bringing on Renaissance-spirit holism to artistic practice in the age of deconstruction. The centre piece of art of the present, unlike in the European Renaissance, is not human but the concept, interconnected system of transdisciplinary ideas placed in multidimensional space. It’s the Renaissance of the concept-centrism, not anthropocentrism. It is striving for thinking of new aka 'academia’ category for education, new ‘forum’ for politics, new exchange mechanism for economy. Increased frequency of employment of universal methodology in creative policy planning is one of the examples of practical realisation of this holism, the process that is already taking place in many states and regions on national and local level.

The notes consist of the preface and three parts: before, during and after, relating to the timeline of planning, realisation and amplification of the impact of the conceptual performance.

Before

conceptualisation

The central question of the concept of the performance is actualisation of the topical issue(s) from the artist’s perspective. Conceptualisation is expanding the issue into holistic picture of potential format of the performance, it answers questions about appropriate means to deliver the messages. It actualises the issue and installs the performance in the time and space  dimensions.

Transdisciplinarity and trans-dimensionality are of paramount importance. Complication in attribution of it to certain branch of knowledge is an asset, confusion is a strategy that should be used in order to ‘reboot’ the audience and place it beyond the comfort zone to trigger thinking and reflection processes.

In contradiction with some of the conceptual art pieces, it shouldn’t be escapist - on the contrary, it should address a challenge, cleavage, vice and be purposeful. Meta-modern and meta-conceptual approach in the medium call for taking up responsibility for producing meaningful actions, whatever the potential influence and impact, evident or potential.

Lawrence Weiner said: “Once you know about a work of mine you own it. There’s no way I can climb inside somebody’s head and remove it”. The impact of the concept of the artwork floats towards ‘open source’ (to borrow term from software development) approach - potentiality of free reproduction of the performance has to be clearly actualised (although in many cases it is not possible in reality, conceptual possibility amplifies potential impact of the performance). It is interesting that at the same time each experience of the conceptual performance is unique by itself, what makes ‘scarcity’ not applicable as a category in here.

aestheticisation, objectification, contextualisation

Objectification is the process of distillation of certain questions, mottos, statements from the concept, so to speak. It is the way to specify delivery of the messages from the concept in form of readable statements presented in some strategic and creative way. Breaking up concept into addressable objects is the essence of the stage of performance planning.

In his lecture about ‘post-conceptual art’, Peter Osborne highlighted two key characteristics of approach towards analysis of contemporary art: presence of concept and aesthetics of the piece. Aesthetics of the representation of the concept is important factor determining the character of the impact on the audience.

Cultural politics? Illustration of social cleavages? Economics? Finance? Philosophical ontology? Something else? Placing the concept, it’s specified messages and aesthetic representation in certain contextual frame is necessary for providing ‘entrances’ into logic of the performance for the audience. It is not meant to be directional or propagandistic, but rather subtly, maybe through the massive of signifiers, suggest symbolic connections to a certain context(s).

identification, classification

Lector? Speaker? Sherpa? Performer? Artist? Moderator? Chair? Commentator? Reporter? Narrator? …? Definition of the role is not necessary on public scale, but it’s instrumental for highlighting the position of the performer for him(her)self. Choosing a certain role helps to define the strategy of presentation towards the audience and helps to establish a certain form  of confidence towards it, while keeping open the format for transformation during the performative production itself. All ‘naming’ is functional and is meant to help the ‘other’ to place him(her)self in some position as a listener, participator, etc. without limitation or imposed inquiry for a certain action.

Lecture? Theatre? Performative action of visual art piece creation? Stand-up? Interview? Discussion? The question follows naturally the role of the performer, however can (even maybe should) contradict the conventional pairing ‘lecture - lector’, ‘acting - actor’, etc. in order to amplify the impact of the performance on the audience. The purpose of classification is similar to former elements - preparation of the audience and provision of some level of expectations, while keeping the space for surprise and possibility for changes beyond the scripted.

During

communication, narration, reference, improvisation, production, energy

Choice of the form and style of communicating the objectified elements of the concept is shaping perception of the performance by the audience. Stage-related practicalities and limitations of the space shape communication strategy for the message.  

Narration strategy rests on axises of logic in communication of the objectified concept. It can be centred around time, space, level of response of the audience, other dimensions - flexibility, interchangeability and adaptation are among crucial components of successful narration.

Exposure of connections between subjects in transdisciplinary narration is important for following the parallels and dimensions by the audience.

Plan or script of conceptual performance has to stay inside ‘before’ and ‘after’ stages and remain sketchy for the ‘during’ - as it provides the space for intuition and serendipity to step in at the ‘present’ of the performance. Heterotopic (‘in between’ condition introduced by Foucault and growing ever since with the technological shift) notion of ‘present’ in conceptual performance is the key to its artistic impact and realisation of the artistic concept.

Conceptual performance might as well result in production of material art objects. The canvas, installation, sculpture or any other form of material representation of the concept has a specific energy as it is created under the very unique, non-repeatable in the same manner circumstances, what makes the product especially valuable. It is charged not only by the performing artist, but by the response and participation of the audience (whatever it might mean, as the artist might be altering communication and narration strategy during the performance). Depending on the audience and it’s reception of the messages transmitted by the artist, ‘the product’ of the performance shall have additional energy, charged by the conditions and environment of it’s creation.

After

Impact

Trigger to think? Propagandistic message? Call for action? Empowerment? Confusion? Influence must not be propagandistic - it has to suggest as wide as possible interpretation and  encourage creation of the additional narratives in the framework of the core concept, a meta-idea or meta-message, that is transmitted through performance by the artist. The impact on the audience is of paramount importance - amplitude of an impact defines the energetics of the performance concept, it’s potential for further reproduction, mutation, alteration and further experimentation.

As in case with the narration, impact on the audience is not something that is supposed to be pre-defined and simply ‘executed’ during the performance (it will be a characteristic of ‘propagandistic performance’). While the idea of the effect and emotional response is driving the concept and objectification of the messages in the first place, precise execution of the performance should trigger polar reactions. This polarity would be in a way confirmation of the validity artistic concept in the first place. One of the core differences between ‘lecturing, educating’ and ‘conceptually performing’ is multi-dimensionality of reaction of an audience. In this sense, ‘knowledge’ is placed into the expanded field of performance art, where it’s artistic strategies challenging the very essence of it’s logic and validity. It has neither purpose to ridiculise it, nor to blur it in the mist of deconstructionist style of postmodernism. Generated impact has a purpose of questioning frameworks and institutional authority of the accepted norms and disciplines, which are addressed by the performance. In this way the impact created has a mind-expanding potential. Education is not a goal of it; reflection, invitation for individual discovery of meanings is the purpose. Presentation of any issues has potential of profound impact on an audience in the light of the altered logic/anti-logic, unconventional symbols, surprising context, innovative narrative and valid format.

Documentation, recycling and post-production, validity

The primary purposes of documentation of the performance are monumentalisation and historical actualisation of it’s concept and resulted impact. However the most important goal  is to trigger recycling and post-production of the performance as well as research of it’s essence on the basis on that documentation. Choice of appropriate mediums of documentation is strategic as it is providing basis for spreading the concept of the performance to wider audience and making sure it’s reproduced, talked about, discussed and generates profound influence on an audience beyond the space of it’s creation.

Conceptual performance should have an ambition of presentation of a certain system of ideas in creative way. Verification of the validity of messages and their appropriation with the disciplines and subjects that are addressed during the performance is ‘subject a posteriori’, but it’s strategic importance for the impact of the performance on further reproductions shouldn’t be underestimated during period of conceptualisation.