Opening thoughts: March 22nd

 When we began work to develop a survey of the space that is between and around 

• Performance Art , Body Art , Live Art 
• Photographic Self Portraiture or Portrayal

we realised that we needed to listen to as many voices as possible -- the span of alternate names for these practices alone was a sufficient clue. In the Call For Artists we suggested that we should try to develop momentum for a conversation, a dialogue between artists. This blog is intended as a starting point ...

Formulating the call alone was an iterative process and allowed us to understand more about our starting point. Whether it will help in the ongoing remains to be seen.

The initial impetus for this project came from Aldobranti with whom FoscoFornio have previous collaboration history. In his turn he reached out to artists he had previously worked with:

As you may have gathered, my work in photography and identity is closely tied to performativity -- the decisive act in a moment to make an image as statement. This project is about that moment in a performance when the reality of the performance is captured / made real / actualized at the instigation of the performer. I believe that this is an aspect of the performance quite separate from the performance record made by a third-party, because it comes from the active choice of the performer and so becomes of a piece with the performance itself.

He makes the point that the artist in performance has a definite and separate idea of what the act is trying to say, and that this may not be fully revealed in a 3rd party record. Aldobranti focuses on this word performative to look for the force in it. As these conversations progressed, some key concerns began to crystallise -- for a start, the nature of art making as process-oriented as distinct from product-oriented.

I have become aware that in the buzz of talking to dear colleagues / past collaborators that I have not managed to be clear enough. The research area I want to follow through with you is along a boundary where a performance artist in process adopts some part of a self-portraitist's practice. In the moment that the performer images herself the performative impact of that image can shape the record of the performance

OR

an artist working in self-portrait mode switches mode, or relaxes into a place where she begins to perform for the camera. Again I want to interrogate the thought processes here. I think there's something important about the instantaneity of the photographic which arises in the intentional pushing of the shutter.

 Sooner or later the Call had to be published and this is what we went for though regrettably. different listings sites may have constrained us to shorter / abbreviated formats

We are seeking artists and photographers to join a dialogue and survey publication exploring the intersection of performance to camera and photographic self-portraiture. We are interested in artists who work in both fields, as well as those who specialize in one or the other, to participate in a conversation that will explore the overlaps and tensions between these two disciplines. Through this dialogue, we hope to uncover the unique qualities of each form of expression and to better understand how they can inform and enrich each other.
Whether you are a performance artist interested in exploring photographic self-portraiture or a photographer looking to incorporate elements of performance into your work, we invite you to join us in this exploration. The resulting publication will be a comprehensive survey of the current state of artistic research in this boundary area, highlighting conflicts of process and changes of practice.
We hope that paricipants will find interest in, and bring experience to bear in the following areas

• Use of the body: Both performance to camera and photographic self-portraiture involve using the body as the subject of the work. Whether through movement, gesture, facial expression, or other means, the body is often central to the artistic expression in both practices.
• Self-representation: Both performance to camera and photographic self-portraiture involve self-representation. In performance to camera, the performer is often portraying themselves in some way, while in photographic self-portraiture, the artist is creating an image of themselves. Both practices offer opportunities to explore identity and self-expression.
• Relationship to the camera: Both practices involve a relationship to the camera. In performance to camera, the camera is often used as a tool for recording or broadcasting the performance, while in photographic self-portraiture, the camera is used to create the image. In both cases, the camera can be seen as an extension of the artist's body or as an object of manipulation.
• The performative aspect: Both performance to camera and photographic self-portraiture involve a performative aspect. In performance to camera, the performer is creating a live or recorded performance, while in photographic self-portraiture, the artist is often creating a posed or staged image. Both practices involve an element of performance or staging.

Overall, performance to camera and photographic self-portraiture share several areas of overlap, particularly in their use of the body, self-representation, relationship to the camera, and the performative aspect. These similarities suggest that there is potential for artists working in both practices to learn from and inform each other's work.

 Next Up

We hope all applicants will engage with this blog, comment constructively, and advise editors if any problems are observed . Of course there can be no guarantee of selection for the final print version though any quotation from their text will be acknowledged.

In this blog each applicant will be listed anonymously prior to any editing / curation process

All submitted material will remain the intellectual property of the applicant and so is printed only with their permission.