Frazer Ward

Frazer Ward explores the connections between the performance and conceptual art by examining Mirror Piece by Ian Burn (1967) and Step Piece by Acconci (1970). He explains that Conceptual art focuses on the intellectual aspect of art rather than aesthetics. Conceptual art was a movement that focused on the object and it's status by emphasizing the intellectual process surrounding art instead of aesthetic pleasure, often utilizing language to do so. Language was given priority over visuals in an attempt to make the aesthetic experience less elitist. The key difference between performance art and other mediums is that performance art is a 'temporal event', with the body being key. Performance and Conceptual art are seen to be in opposition because some critics state Conceptual art denies the body. Ward argues against the two being constantly in disagreement. Mirror Piece is a perfect example of Conceptual art. The artwork is thirteen pages featuring typed diagrams and notes displayed in frames. It is potentially an unsuccessful artwork because Burn doesn't differentiate between an artwork featuring a concept and an artwork featuring an artist's intention. Mel Bochner, one of the pioneers of Conceptual art in the 1960s, argued that the term Conceptual art confused "concept" with "intention". Step Piece combines performance with Conceptual art, pushing Conceptual art to the limit by how it presents rationality. Acconci isn't taking Conceptualism completely seriously so he escapes the pretensions. Step Piece shows how Conceptualism and performance art can be used to examine each other rather than being deadlocked in opposition. Conceptual art is a movement with defined parameters while performance art is a medium. Because of this, performance art has been used by a variety of artists. Both Step Piece and Mirror Piece are ambiguous about the possibility of the artist communicating with the audience. The artworks originally took place in a private context, documentation and reproduction of them brings into the public realm.