Performance in the Museum

A comprehensive exploration of performance art’s journey into the museum space. This insightful study charts the inclusion of performance in museums from the 1960s to today, offering a critical assessment of contemporary curatorial practice. How has this once anti-institutional art form found a home within museum walls?

Performance in the Museum delves into the staging, conservation, acquisition, and research surrounding performance art. Through detailed analysis of exhibitions and curatorial approaches worldwide, Pierre Saurisse reveals how museums have adapted to this unique medium. Discover the key moments that shaped the integration of performance art and gain a deeper understanding of its impact on cultural institutions. This is an essential resource for art historians, curators, and anyone interested in the evolving landscape of contemporary art.

Pierre Saurisse is a lecturer on the MA Contemporary Art course at Sotheby’s Institute of Art, London and is the author of Mechanics of the Unpredictable: Art and Chance around 1960.