Afterall Journal Issue 9 Explores Dual Meanings of 'Performative'

The ninth issue of Afterall Journal, published June 1, 2004, and edited by Charles Esche, delves into the dual meanings of the term 'performative' in contemporary art. The first meaning refers to the act of performing in public or recording actions for later presentation, implicating the body as a measure of human scale against abstract concepts like society and pleasure. The second meaning, derived from administrative discourse, evaluates art based on its effective outcomes and measurable consequences, often applied to works addressing social distress. Esche discusses artists Michael Clark, Joan Jonas, Marjetica Potrc, Thomas Hirschhorn, and Los Carpinteros, examining how their practices embody both senses of performativity. Clark's work uses quotations from popular culture to trigger recognition, while Jonas bridges live performance and sculpture. Potrc and Los Carpinteros engage with social environments, with Potrc's architectural objects referencing barrio life and raising questions of exploitation. Hirschhorn's Monuments series transforms viewers into actors. The issue critiques the administrative concept of performativity as a conservative trap but argues that art must maintain ambition for social change. The tension between assumed narratives and immanent presence is key to understanding these artists' works as performative in both senses.