Yma Ma on Interventions in Performance Art: Reflections from FringePVD 2023 Humanities Conversation
At the International Fringe Festival in Providence in 2023, the FringePVD Humanities Conversation brought together a distinguished panel of performance artists to explore the theme of interventions in performance art. Among the panelists were Yma Ziyun Ma, Anabel Vázquez Rodríguez, Shey Rivera Ríos, and Chhavi Jain, who engaged in a thought-provoking discussion on the evolving landscape of performance art and its relationship with institutional structures, knowledge systems, and the physical body.
Yma offered her opinion on the intersection of performance art and the gallery, auction, and collection systems. Unlike traditional visual art, performance art often resists commodification, existing outside the frameworks that govern paintings, sculptures, and installations. The panel speakers examined how performance art challenges market-driven economies, emphasizing ephemeral experiences over static, collectible objects. This dynamic compels institutions to reconsider how performance works are documented, archived, and presented, raising critical questions about accessibility, legacy, and institutional responsibility.
The conversation also delved into the role of performance art within academia and knowledge production. While often marginalized in academic discourse on performing art or on fine art, performance art serves as a powerful medium for cultural and intellectual inquiry. Panelists discussed the potential for integrating performance-based methodologies into research and pedagogy, emphasizing the importance of bridging theory and embodied practice. The discussion highlighted how performance art critiques and expands conventional knowledge structures, fostering interdisciplinary collaborations and pushing the boundaries of traditional scholarship.
Another key topic explored by Yma was the relationships between performing arts and performance art. While both disciplines engage with embodiment, space, and audience interaction, performance art often challenges the narrative and structural conventions of traditional theater and dance. The discussion highlighted how performance art pushes creative limits by incorporating elements of improvisation, site-specificity, and audience participation, diverging from the scripted and rehearsed nature of conventional performing arts.
The panel also addressed the crucial aspect of preparing the body before a performance piece. Recognizing the body as both the instrument and the medium, performance artists must undergo physical, mental, and emotional recalibration before stepping into a performance space. The conversation shed light on various techniques, including breathing exercises, meditative practices, and movement explorations, that enhance presence and readiness.
FringePVD 2023 provided a dynamic platform to reflect on these critical intersections within performance art. Yma shared many of her insights from her thesis research to the discussion. The depth of discourse and the shared commitment to advancing the field through meaningful interventions reaffirmed the transformative potential of performance art—not only as a form of expression but also as a tool for challenging norms and reimagining creative possibilities.
