Abstruse ideological compositions: Applying Claude Cahun's model of 'Indirect Action' to contemporary activist performance art

Conference item


Trotter, Penelope. (2014). Abstruse ideological compositions: Applying Claude Cahun's model of 'Indirect Action' to contemporary activist performance art. HISTART '14, History of Art Conference. Istanbul, Turkey: Dakam Publishing. pp. 28 - 38
AuthorsTrotter, Penelope
Abstract

Since the Modernist period, radical artists who have engaged in site specific activist performance art activities that involve the modality of power that they are questioning have often displayed the need to become secretive, aggressive, abstruse or deceptiv e in order to get their messages across. This is because such artists are presenting a spectacle that displays opposing ideological standards to those who are in power at the time. Whilst engaging in such activities, Surrealist anti-resistance freedom fighter Claude Cahun (1934 cited in Doy, 2006, p.76) argued that ‘indirect, rather than direct suggestion of political meaning and action is preferable, both from the point of view of art and that of politics’. This paper will examine Claude Cahun and Marcel Moore’s model of indirect action that they used in World War II for their activist performance art piece named The Soldier with No Name as a way of affecting the consciences of the Nazi soldiers who were occupying their home of the Island of Jersey. I will discuss how such artists’ public performance interactions are considered to be heroic and poignant, yet the level of deception required for the success of their works leads to a questioning of the artists ethical standards that are used to construct the work, and also put the artists in danger. The idea that placing yourself empathetically into the shoes of the Other whilst performing such an action contributes to maintaining peaceful but effective signifiers for its recipients will become a key part of this discussion (Thynne, 2010).

Year2014
PublisherDakam Publishing
Web address (URL)https://www.dakamconferences.org/histart
Publisher's version
File Access Level
Controlled
Book titleArt History Studies: Art and Society, HISTART'14 History of Art Conference Proceedings
Page range28 - 38
ISBN9786055120863
Research GroupSchool of Education
Place of publicationIstanbul, Turkey
Permalink -

https://acuresearchbank.acu.edu.au/item/8q0qq/abstruse-ideological-compositions-applying-claude-cahun-s-model-of-indirect-action-to-contemporary-activist-performance-art

Restricted files

Publisher's version

  • 150
    total views
  • 0
    total downloads
  • 2
    views this month
  • 0
    downloads this month
These values are for the period from 19th October 2020, when this repository was created.

Export as

Related outputs

Say what?
Trotter, Penelope, Freakley, Danielle and Colless, Edward. (2018). Say what? Art + Australia. 55(1), pp. 122-135.
poly-geographic = library + school of elegance + birth home + roads victoria
Trotter, Penelope, Peillo, Sophie, Williams, Julian, Wadley, Greg, Callaway, Jennifer and Liu, Chun Liang. (2016). poly-geographic = library + school of elegance + birth home + roads victoria Melbourne, Australia: Strange Neighbour gallery.
Chris Bond: Fictional play
Trotter, Penelope. (2016). Chris Bond: Fictional play. Artlink. 36(4), pp. 60 - 62.
The winner takes it all: An epiphany
Callaway, Jennifer, Pemberton, Travis, Perillo, Sophie, Trotter, Penelope, Wadley, Greg and Williams, Julian. (2015). The winner takes it all: An epiphany
'Split Self', as part of 'Experimental Universe: Re-enactments and Imaginings, 'War is Over: (If you want it): Toko Ono.'
Callaway, Jennifer, Martorell, Dylan, Perillo, Sophie, Trotter, Penelope, Wadley, Greg and Williams, Julian. (2014). 'Split Self', as part of 'Experimental Universe: Re-enactments and Imaginings, 'War is Over: (If you want it): Toko Ono.'
Time has Stopped
Callaway, Jennifer, Martorell, Dylan, Perillo, Sophie, Trotter, Penelope, Wadley, Greg and Williams, Julian. (2014). Time has Stopped Melbourne, Australia: Victorian College of the Arts.
Library Dreams
Green, Clinton, Callaway, Jennifer, Liang Lu, Chun, Perillo, Sophie, Wadley, Greg and Trotter, Penelope. (2014). Library Dreams Melbourne, Australia: State Library of Victoria.
"Untitled", Hi God People Performance
Trotter, Penelope, Perillo, Sophie, Callaway, Jennifer, Williams, Julian and Wadley, Greg. (2013). "Untitled", Hi God People Performance
Immigration panorama
Trotter, Penelope, Chaudry, Muhammad Omer, Khan, Imad and Perillo, Sophie. (2013). Immigration panorama
"Untitled" Hi God People Musical/ Performance Collaboration
Martorell, Dylan, Wadley, Greg, Williams, Julian, Callaway, Jennifer, Perillo, Sophie and Trotter, Penelope. (2013). "Untitled" Hi God People Musical/ Performance Collaboration
Exorcise!
Trotter, Penelope and Perillo, Sophie. (2013). Exorcise [Performance].
Clak Clak
Trotter, Penelope. (2013). Clak Clak Slopes Gallery, 9 Smith St, Fitzroy, Victoria:
Abstract Election
Trotter, Penelope, Williams, Julian, Perillo, Sophie, Martorell, Dylan, Callaway, Jennifer K. and Wadley, Greg. (2013). Abstract Election [Performance].
Psychic counterpoints: Participatory realist documentary and printmaking as thwarted war romance, longing and desire
Trotter, Penelope. (2013). Psychic counterpoints: Participatory realist documentary and printmaking as thwarted war romance, longing and desire. In L. Morgan (Ed.). IMPACT 7: Intersections and Counterpoints: Proceedings of the Impact 7 International Multi-Disciplinary Printmaking Conference. Australia: Monash University Press. pp. 470 - 475
The Hi God People play at Overground
Trotter, Penelope, Williams, Julian, Perillo, Sophie and Wadley, Greg. (2011). The Hi God People play at Overground [Performance].
Fantasy Fulfilment and the Invisible Provocateur
Trotter, Penelope. (2011). Fantasy Fulfilment and the Invisible Provocateur Melbourne, Australia: Monash University Faculty Gallery.
Looking for Charlie
Trotter, Penelope. (2011). Looking for Charlie [Performance].
The Hi God People and Person/Dog
Williams, Julian, Trotter, Penelope, Perillo, S. and Wadley, G.. (2011). The Hi God People and Person/Dog
Person/dog
Trotter, Penelope. (2011). Person/dog
The Hi God People Biscuit launch
Trotter, Penelope, Wadley, G., Perillo, S. and Williams, J.. (2011). The Hi God People Biscuit launch
Andy Warhol's Sex Phone
Trotter, Penelope. (2010). Andy Warhol's Sex Phone
A club of one's own: Aristocracy and the path to Bohemia
Trotter, Penelope. (2008). A club of one's own: Aristocracy and the path to Bohemia
On her own now
Trotter, Penelope. (2008). On her own now
Australie Mythes et Realites: Australia, Myth and Reality, printmaking, photographs and text in Australie Mythes et Realites - Australia, Myth and Reality
Trotter, Penelope. (2008). Australie Mythes et Realites: Australia, Myth and Reality, printmaking, photographs and text in Australie Mythes et Realites - Australia, Myth and Reality
The writer versus the artist who speaks in quotes
Trotter, Penelope. (2008). The writer versus the artist who speaks in quotes. un Magazine.
In the Light of Darkness
Trotter, Penelope. (2008). In the Light of Darkness. ARTicle.
Club visit
Trotter, Penelope. (2008). Club visit Melbourne, Australia:
Mirroring our dialogue: Danielle Freakley as The Quote Generator
Trotter, Penelope. (2007). Mirroring our dialogue: Danielle Freakley as The Quote Generator. Artlink: a contemporary art magazine in Australia.
Victor Rubin: The Lost Domain (Catalogue Essay)
Trotter, Penelope. (2007). Victor Rubin: The Lost Domain (Catalogue Essay)
Electric Valley Studios
Trotter, Penelope. (2007). Electric Valley Studios
Narcissus of liberty
Trotter, Penelope. (2006). Narcissus of liberty
The male jouissance thing: Ode to Bowie
Trotter, Penelope. (2006). The male jouissance thing: Ode to Bowie
Gertrude contemporary art spaces
Trotter, Penelope. (2005). Gertrude contemporary art spaces
The Found Project
Trotter, Penelope. (2004). The Found Project
Ungame
Trotter, Penelope. (2004). Ungame. un Magazine.
Automation: The scientific management of clean logic
Trotter, Penelope. (2003). Automation: The scientific management of clean logic
How to dance like a 1950's robot teacher
Trotter, Penelope. (2002). How to dance like a 1950's robot teacher
The Theatrics of Cloning: The recent paintings of Juan Ford
Trotter, Penelope. (2002). The Theatrics of Cloning: The recent paintings of Juan Ford. Artlink: a contemporary art magazine in Australia.
Egg faced girl
Trotter, Penelope. (2002). Egg faced girl
Wizard of the Thunderdome
Trotter, Penelope. (2002). Wizard of the Thunderdome
Monster politics
Trotter, Penelope. (2001). Monster politics