Author Description

Parallel Realities: The Development of Performance Art in Australia, traces the development of performance art from its precursors in theatre, dada, happenings, fluxus and conceptual art to the various forms of performance art that exist today. Unlike Europe or America where performance has been traced by numerous writers and critics from its origins in European futurist evenings and dada soirees, the Australian development of this art form has followed a different sequence of events. It is a story that more closely follows the development of an Australian social and political identity and the arduous task of developing an Australian art and culture within a predominantly materialist, pastoralist, pioneering society. This book examines in detail the development of performance art in Australia through its links with theatre, the social and political changes in the society in which the artists live, the effects of influences from overseas, the influences and occasional alliances with popular culture and the pop music scene, and the major developments in the visual arts. By expanding my narration into areas of sociology, politics and general history I have endeavored to paint a broad picture of the social and political events that were occurring concurrent with important changes and developments in the visual arts and thus provide some insight into the sequence of events which has led to the appearance of performance art as a major art form today. The second section of this book chronicles the performance events of 31 pioneering Australian artists with descriptions and photos provided by the artists themselves. This second edition is designed to be a free student online resource which includes the work of Stelarc, Mike Parr, Tim Burns, Dale Frank, Kevin Mortensen, Jill Orr, Ken Unsworth and others.