This talk explores the pioneers of Conceptual Art and the Fluxus Movement charting their history of performative acts and their subsequent impact on the Fashion industry. The embodied moment as a performative act is expressed through artists such as Joseph Kosuth. His manifesto of Conceptual Art, Art after Philosophy (1969) elevates the nature of art itself. Many of Kosuth’s work include the use of body to challenge cultural norms of the time. Artists such as Joseph Beuys continued with works such as I like America and America likes Me (1974) and Carolee Schneeman’s Interior Scroll (1975) explored the subject of female sexuality.

Performance art is a non-traditional way in which to create art. Peggy Phelan in Unmarked: The Politics of Performance (1993) states that ‘Performance’s only life is in the present’. The physical movement of the body allows for artists to engage with a variety of different mediums and ideas. Performance Art therefore has been a great source of inspiration for Fashion due to its ephemeral nature and its ability to cross interdisciplinary boundaries found within Art and Design.

Performance artists such as Vanessa Beecroft and Marina Abromovich have both recently contributed to design houses catwalk shows such as Givenchy and Yeezy. Most recently Dior’s Marie Grazia Chiuri has collaborated with Sharon Eyal for the S/S 19 collection. This saw the catwalk overrun with dancers and performers who expressed themselves through ballet.

This talk discusses the modes in which we view Fine Art and Fashion. It questions how we view Art through Fashion and vice versa. Drawing on a range of historical and contemporary examples, it questions the impact of Performance Art in Fashion and its impact on the future of the industry.