Every work of art at some point is conceptualized and/or created. Artists, philosophers, critics, and curators have explored different ideas about the creative process and the actions of artists in creating artworks. This has led some artists to focus more on the activity of creating art, rather than on a resulting finished object. For them, making art can be a process, performance, or action that blurs the boundaries between visual art, dance, media art, and theater. This is sometimes referred to as performance art or process art. The artists may not not know in advance the exact outcomes of their activity and chance occurrences or unpredictable events become an important part of their works.

For this activity, it is helpful to provide each group with a color photocopy of the artworks from the list below. Download and print the images from the downloadable PDF version in the Resources section of this page.

View the following images:
1. Deborah Butterfield Woodrow
2. Lucio Fontana Spatial Concept—Expectation
3. Rebecca Horn The Little Painting School Performs a Waterfall
4. Gabriel Orozco Yielding Stone
5. Nam June Paik TV Cello
6. Niki de Saint Phalle Untitled from Edition Mat 64
7. George Segal Diner
8. Kazuo Shiraga Untitled

Divide the class into small groups to read the background information about one artwork. Ask each group to write about the creation of the piece or what they think each artist may have done to make it.

How does the “finished” artwork reflect the physical movements, activities, or performance of the artist?

Were other people besides the artist part of the process?

Do you think this has resulted in the creation of an artwork or is it just a record of an activity? Why?

Show each image again and ask each group to share their responses with the class.

Resources:
Related works of art (online version)
Related works of art (downloadable PDF version)

©2004 Walker Art Center