Eliud Kipchoge's Marathon as Performance Art: A Philosophical Reading
Marcello Faletra's editorial in Artribune Magazine #52 reinterprets Eliud Kipchoge's sub-two-hour marathon as a performative act akin to contemporary art. Drawing on Deleuze, Spinoza, and J.L. Austin, Faletra argues that Kipchoge's feat transcends sport, embodying a body without referent—neither medical, religious, nor economic. The runner's identity is constituted through repetition and intensity, mirroring the artist's existential struggle to merge art and life. Faletra notes that the official sports system refuses to recognize the record, creating a split between real data and systemic artifice. The editorial also references Harold Rosenberg's 1964 essay on action painting and critiques colonialist representations of Black athleticism, which Kipchoge's performance inverts. Published on Artribune, the piece is part of a broader reflection on performance, time, and institutional obsolescence.
Key facts
- Eliud Kipchoge ran a marathon under two hours (42+ km).
- The feat is described as a performance that produces its own body.
- Faletra uses Deleuze, Spinoza, and J.L. Austin's concept of performative act.
- The sports system does not recognize Kipchoge's record despite laser measurement.
- Harold Rosenberg's 1964 essay on action painting is referenced.
- The editorial critiques colonialist representations of Black athleticism.
- The piece appears in Artribune Magazine #52.
- Marcello Faletra is a writer, artist, and critic of contemporary art.
Entities
Artists
- Eliud Kipchoge
- Marcello Faletra
- Harold Rosenberg
Institutions
- Artribune