Abstract
As the word emerges from the COVID-19 pandemic, the focus returns to the looming threat posed by climate change and the continuing destruction of the environment. Despite the wide publicity given to this issue in recent years, human behaviour remains – to a large extent – unchanged. This paper considers the potential of performance art in prompting a fresh engagement with the environmental crisis in terms of the theories of French philosopher, Jacques Ranciere (2011). Ranciere contends that if a political artwork is to be successful, it cannot simply be presented in the form of a coherent explanation but should rather communicate via a ‘double-effect’ comprising both a readable message as well as an aspect which “resists signification,” even causing a “perceptual shock” (Ranciere 2011:63)*. He describes such an event as a disruption of ‘the distribution of the sensible’ – a term referring to the conventional arrangements of materiality in which we live and the normative manner in which these are understood. This theory is discussed in relation to performance artworks by South African performance artist, Luke Rudman whose work has addressed issues ranging from the plastic crisis to air pollution. Luke has worked with a number of environmental organisations, but this presentation will focus on his collaboration with Greenpeace Africa in terms of live protest performances and Instagram takeovers. *Ranciere, J. (2011). The Politics of Aesthetics: The Distribution of the Sensible.
Presenters
Sharon RudmanSenior Lecturer, Department of Linguistics and Applied Linguistics, Nelson Mandela University, Eastern Cape, South Africa Luke Rudman
Student, VIsual Arts / Fine Art, Nelson Mandela University, Eastern Cape, South Africa
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
The Arts in Social, Political, and Community Life
KEYWORDS
PERFORMANCE ART, ENVIRONMENTAL CRISIS, POLITICAL ARTWORK, DOUBLE-EFFECT, RANCIERE
