Performance Writing
Encyclopedia
Performance Writing was pioneered at Dartington College of Arts
in Devon, UK
as a radical new approach to writing. It is a multi-modal approach which explores through artistic practice how writing
interacts with other art forms and practices — visual art, sound art
, time-based media
, installation
, electronic literature
, bookworks, live art
, and performance art
.
undergraduate course at Dartington College of Arts
in 1994. The course was written, and the field developed, by a number of self-described Performance Writers and academics including Caroline Bergvall
and John Hall.
As a result of the merger of DCA and University College Falmouth
in 2010, the undergraduate Performance Writing course was relocated to a new performance centre at UCF's Tremough Campus. Dr. Larry Lynch, a former student of the course, is the field director. The course ceased taking applications for new students from 2010 onwards pending a reconfiguration of its Performance Writing courses.
The UCF post-graduate Master of Arts
course in Performance Writing is based at the Arnolfini
in Bristol
, and is led by Associate Professor Jerome Fletcher.
as a process, using playful and precise language to establish the complexity of reflexive descriptions: a performance of writing about writing as such.
At the symposium launching the field, Performance Writing was described by Caroline Bergvall as exploring "relationships between textual and text-based work when developed in conjunction with other media and discourses.", and opening "the investigation of formal and ideological strategies which writers and artists develop textually in response or in reaction to their own time and their own fields"
She also understood it as "not primarily [a] unified academic discipline [or] one delineated, hybridic artform", but rather as an "area of joint practical and critical investigation of the many uses writing and language are being put to and push themselves into."
In May 2010 Bristol's Arnolfini
, in collaboration with University College Falmouth, held PW10: a weekend of Performance Writing themed talks, readings, and artistic works exploring interdisciplinary approaches to language and textuality
. It was timed to coincide with the exhibition Say: "Parsley" by Performance Writing co-founder Caroline Bergvall
and Ciaran Maher. It included works by Allen Fisher
, Drew Milne
, David Prior (artist)
, Jason Nelson
.
Dartington College of Arts
Dartington College of Arts was a specialist arts institution near Totnes, Devon, South West England, it specialized in post-dramatic theatre, music, choreography, Performance Writing and visual performance, focusing on a performative and multi-disciplinary approach to the arts. In addition to this,...
in Devon, UK
Devon
Devon is a large county in southwestern England. The county is sometimes referred to as Devonshire, although the term is rarely used inside the county itself as the county has never been officially "shired", it often indicates a traditional or historical context.The county shares borders with...
as a radical new approach to writing. It is a multi-modal approach which explores through artistic practice how writing
Writing
Writing is the representation of language in a textual medium through the use of a set of signs or symbols . It is distinguished from illustration, such as cave drawing and painting, and non-symbolic preservation of language via non-textual media, such as magnetic tape audio.Writing most likely...
interacts with other art forms and practices — visual art, sound art
Sound art
Sound art is a diverse group of art practices that considers wide notions of sound, listening and hearing as its predominant focus. There are often distinct relationships forged between the visual and aural domains of art and perception by sound artists....
, time-based media
Video art
Video art is a type of art which relies on moving pictures and comprises video and/or audio data. . Video art came into existence during the 1960s and 1970s, is still widely practiced and has given rise to the widespread use of video installations...
, installation
Installation art
Installation art describes an artistic genre of three-dimensional works that are often site-specific and designed to transform the perception of a space. Generally, the term is applied to interior spaces, whereas exterior interventions are often called Land art; however, the boundaries between...
, electronic literature
Electronic literature
Electronic literature is a literary genre consisting of works of literature that originate within digital environments.-Definitions:N. Katherine Hayles discusses the topic in the online article...
, bookworks, live art
Live Art
Live Art is the fifth album released by Béla Fleck and the Flecktones and their first non-studio album. It was recorded live at various concerts between 1992 and 1996 and features ten guest musicians....
, and performance art
Performance art
In art, performance art is a performance presented to an audience, traditionally interdisciplinary. Performance may be either scripted or unscripted, random or carefully orchestrated; spontaneous or otherwise carefully planned with or without audience participation. The performance can be live or...
.
History
Performance Writing was inaugurated as a Bachelor of ArtsBachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
undergraduate course at Dartington College of Arts
Dartington College of Arts
Dartington College of Arts was a specialist arts institution near Totnes, Devon, South West England, it specialized in post-dramatic theatre, music, choreography, Performance Writing and visual performance, focusing on a performative and multi-disciplinary approach to the arts. In addition to this,...
in 1994. The course was written, and the field developed, by a number of self-described Performance Writers and academics including Caroline Bergvall
Caroline Bergvall
Caroline Bergvall is a poet of French-Norwegian nationalities who has lived in England since 1989.Bergvall has developed audio texts and collaborative performances with sound artists in Europe and North America; her critical work is largely concerned with emerging forms of writing, plurilingual...
and John Hall.
As a result of the merger of DCA and University College Falmouth
University College Falmouth
University College Falmouth is a British university college in Falmouth, Cornwall. Founded in 1902, it had previously been the Falmouth School of Art and then Falmouth College of Arts until it received taught degree-awarding powers in March 2005...
in 2010, the undergraduate Performance Writing course was relocated to a new performance centre at UCF's Tremough Campus. Dr. Larry Lynch, a former student of the course, is the field director. The course ceased taking applications for new students from 2010 onwards pending a reconfiguration of its Performance Writing courses.
The UCF post-graduate Master of Arts
Master of Arts (postgraduate)
A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...
course in Performance Writing is based at the Arnolfini
Arnolfini
The Arnolfini is an arts centre and gallery in Bristol, England. It has a programme of contemporary art exhibitions, live art, music and dance events, poetry and book readings, talks, lectures and cinema. There is also a specialist art bookshop and a café bar. Educational activities are undertaken...
in Bristol
Bristol
Bristol is a city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, with an estimated population of 433,100 for the unitary authority in 2009, and a surrounding Larger Urban Zone with an estimated 1,070,000 residents in 2007...
, and is led by Associate Professor Jerome Fletcher.
Development of Definition
As an emerging field, its definition and limits are the subject of ongoing debate. John Hall's lecture Thirteen Ways of Talking about Performance Writing, explores definitionDefinition
A definition is a passage that explains the meaning of a term , or a type of thing. The term to be defined is the definiendum. A term may have many different senses or meanings...
as a process, using playful and precise language to establish the complexity of reflexive descriptions: a performance of writing about writing as such.
At the symposium launching the field, Performance Writing was described by Caroline Bergvall as exploring "relationships between textual and text-based work when developed in conjunction with other media and discourses.", and opening "the investigation of formal and ideological strategies which writers and artists develop textually in response or in reaction to their own time and their own fields"
She also understood it as "not primarily [a] unified academic discipline [or] one delineated, hybridic artform", but rather as an "area of joint practical and critical investigation of the many uses writing and language are being put to and push themselves into."
Events
Performance Writing events so far include two symposia; one at Dartington College of Arts in 1996 and a second at the Theatre School in Utrecht in 1999.In May 2010 Bristol's Arnolfini
Arnolfini
The Arnolfini is an arts centre and gallery in Bristol, England. It has a programme of contemporary art exhibitions, live art, music and dance events, poetry and book readings, talks, lectures and cinema. There is also a specialist art bookshop and a café bar. Educational activities are undertaken...
, in collaboration with University College Falmouth, held PW10: a weekend of Performance Writing themed talks, readings, and artistic works exploring interdisciplinary approaches to language and textuality
Textuality
Textuality is a concept in linguistics and literary theory that refers to the attributes that distinguish the text as an object of study in those fields...
. It was timed to coincide with the exhibition Say: "Parsley" by Performance Writing co-founder Caroline Bergvall
Caroline Bergvall
Caroline Bergvall is a poet of French-Norwegian nationalities who has lived in England since 1989.Bergvall has developed audio texts and collaborative performances with sound artists in Europe and North America; her critical work is largely concerned with emerging forms of writing, plurilingual...
and Ciaran Maher. It included works by Allen Fisher
Allen Fisher
Allen Fisher is a poet, painter, publisher, teacher and performer associated with the British Poetry Revival.Fisher was born in London and started writing poetry in 1962. His early long project Place was published in a series of books and pamphlets in the 1970s. He worked on a project called...
, Drew Milne
Drew Milne
- Published works :Milne’s books of poetry include Sheet Mettle , Bench Marks , The Damage: new and selected poems , Mars Disarmed , and Go Figure...
, David Prior (artist)
David Prior (artist)
-Early work:David Prior was born in the UK and studied Music and Religious Studies at the University of Wales, Bangor where he studied composition with Andrew Lewis...
, Jason Nelson
Jason Nelson
Jason Nelson is a digital and hypermedia poet and artist. He is a lecturer on Cyberstudies, digital writing and creative practice at Griffith University in Queensland, Australia. He is best known for his artistic flash games/essays such as Game, Game, Game And Again Game and I made this. You play...
.