RoseLee Goldberg's 'Performance Now' Examines 21st Century Live Art

RoseLee Goldberg's 2018 book 'Performance Now: Live Art for the 21st Century' focuses exclusively on performance art since 2000, published by Thames & Hudson in London. The 272-page volume contains 260 illustrations and is structured into six thematic chapters, including 'Performance as Visual Art' and 'Radical Action: On Performance and Politics'. Goldberg argues that performance has become legitimized within institutions, moving beyond its ephemeral outsider status. Her text highlights how performance addresses political and social issues, with examples drawn from the past two decades, many linked to her Performa biennial founded in 2004. The book lacks a conclusion, reflecting the medium's shifting nature. It builds on Goldberg's earlier 1979 work 'Performance Art: From Futurism to the Present', now in its third edition. 'Performance Now' is accessible yet assumes some background knowledge, priced at $45.