03/06/2015.
Performing Political Acts.
This seminar was centred around the time referred to as 'the troubles', which was during Irelands civil war. In particular how performance art helped address, target and reveal important issues that needed to be discussed and as a result possibly heal or allow a refusal to be a victim in a time of such horror and conflict. Andre stated that although the artists that are presented are from southern and Northern Ireland, his position situated in Northern Ireland means it was mostly from that point of view. However through the act of performance it allowed him to be placed outside of those parameters and exist in a form of non space; where he could not only be protected by the artistic act but to be able to voice issues that were otherwise being denied. After locating the very complex subject matter, which of course it would be because no conflict can be simply outlined, Andre then began to talk about the origins of performance in Ireland, in particular Belfast. Andre talked about the influential visit of performance artist Joseph Boyse whose lectures/work shops had a lasting effect upon the area. Continuing the discourse with reference to his own work throughout, such as his series of graffiti tagging pieces called 'art is not a mirror it’s a fucking hammer'. There were many artists during those times dealing with the subject matter such as performance artist Alastair Maclennan, in particular his work 'Target', John Carson, Nick Stewart and Tara Babble. After the talk finished Prof. Andre provided an answer to a question about peace, Andre exclaimed that mankind when under threat we can all become barbaric and that perhaps mankind is not capable of peace. Which I completely agree with, there have been many psychology studies around this subject which include the Stanford prison experiment with the prisoners and the prison guards.
