1. Contemporary Art -
Performance and Conceptual
1970-2010

2. What is Contemporary Art?
 Contemporary means ‘of our time’ (now);
defined as Art made after 1940.
 It is art made with non traditional materials;
contemporary art uses all kinds of media: any
and every material; installation, video, land art.
 It does not have to be shown inside a gallery.
 The idea is often as important as the work;
it is intended to make you think.

3. What is Performance Art?
 Performance art is where the artist becomes
the art work.
 Performance art is time based, lasts for a set
duration and is only experienced by those
who see it.
 Instead of using traditional materials to get a
message across, performance artists use
their own bodies.

4. Performance Artists
 Gilbert&George
 Marina Abramovic
 Alastair MacLennan

5. Gilbert & George
 Gilbert Proesch and George Passmore are
two artists who work together as a
collaborative duo called Gilbert & George.
 They first performed ‘The Singing Sculpture’
in 1970.
 Known for their formal appearance and
manner, they also make brightly coloured
graphic-style photo-based artwork.

6. Marina Abromovic
 New York based Serbian artist Marina
Abromovic began her career in the1970s.
 Her work explores the relationship between
performer and audience, the limits of the
body and the possibilities of the mind.
 For over a decade she made collaborative
work with German performance artist Ulay.

7. Alastair MacLennan
 Belfast based Performance artist Alastair
MacLennan is currently Research Professor
of Fine Art at the University of Ulster.
 During the 1970s and 1980s he made long
durational performances of up to 144 hours
without eating or sleeping.
 The subject matter of his work includes
political, social and cultural malfunction.

8. What is Conceptual Art?
 Conceptual art is art in which the concepts or
the ideas are the most important and take
precedence.
 All the planning and ideas are decided
beforehand.
 Conceptual art emerged as a movement in
the 1960s.
 Conceptual artists are anti ‘art as a
commodity’.

9. Conceptual Artists
 Richard Long
 Jenny Holzer
 Sophie Calle

10. Richard Long
 British artist Richard Long makes art by
walking in a landscape and taking
photographs of sculptures made along the
way.
 His work is concerned with, walking and
marking locality, with time, distance,
measurement and mobility.
 He works with natural raw materials, (such
as rock, stone, sand), in the reality of his
chosen space.

11. Jenny Holzer
 Jenny Holzer is an American conceptual
artist who uses words and ideas in public
spaces.
 These include billboards, projections on
buildings and illuminated electronic displays.
 Text based light projections often speak of
violence, oppression, sexuality, power, war
and death.
 Her main concern is to high light something
hidden; to enlighten her audience.

12. Sophie Calle
 Sophie Calle is a French
writer/photographer/installation and conceptual
artist.
 Her work examines human vulnerability, identity and
intimacy.
 She is known for her ability to follow strangers and
investigate their private lives.
 Her piece ‘take care of yourself’, explored the break
up of her relationship with Gregoire Bouiller.

13. Acknowledgements
Art Associates
Maria Moore
Margaret O’Shea
Local Facilitator Team
Aine Andrews
Joe Caslin
Jane Campbell
Siobhan Campbell
Niamh O’Donoghue
Niamh O’Neill
Keith O’Rahilly
Sheena McKeon
Tony Morrissey
Monica White
Many thanks to the following for their invaluable contribution to the European
Art History and Appreciation series of workshops and resource materials.
PDST Professional Development Service for Teachers

14. PDST Professional Development Service for Teachers
The PDST is funded by the
Department of Education and
Skills under the National
Development Plan 2007 -
2013
Cultural & Environmental Education
Professional Development Service for Teachers (PDST)
Dublin West Education Centre,
Old Blessington Road,
Tallaght,
Dublin 24
National Co-ordinator
Conor Harrison
Mobile: 087 240 5710
E-mail: conorharrison@pdst.ie
Administrator
Angie Grogan
Tel: 014528018 Fax: 014528010
E-mail: angiegrogan@pdst.ie.