malik@delphi.DEC (Karl Malik ZK01-1/F22 1-1440) (07/23/84)
There are NO agreed upon standards in art. The current pop vs. classical argument is, therefore, silly. You might as well be arguing about whether or not apples taste better than bananas. So, instead I shall tell you about a nice book I'm reading. It's called 'The Art of Performance', edited by Gregory Battcock and Robert Nickas (E.P.Dutton, Inc.). It's about 'performance art', that ill-defined area inhabited by multi-media artists like Laurie Anderson. In fact, there's a nice interview with her. Aside from Anderson, there are interviews/discussions of artists like Chris Burden who once spent 5 days in a 2'x2'x3' gymnasium locker and who's work 'Trans-fixed', requires his driving nails through his hands. Also discussed are Robert Wilson, Vito Acconci, Charlotte Moorman and Nam June Paik and others. If you're into modern art (in all its forms), you might enjoy this book. - Karl