A fluid group of performance artists from the Czech Republic and Slovakia hit the road for an artistic tour inspired by the Beat Generation. Their journey begins in Québec, Canada at the RIAP Festival and continues at the Czech Center New York, followed by stops at the Mothership independent space in Brooklyn and the Slovak Consulate in NYC before culminating in a performance at the Midway Gallery in Boston.
The group gave a surprise rooftop performance on the rooftop of the Bohemian National Hall in New York on September 1st before the screening of Trnka's film “Špalíček”. Featured artists included: Tomáš Ruller, Jana Orlová, David Helán, and Viktor Fuček.
We asked each performer what performance art means to them:
“For me, the unity of theory and practice is fundamental. I see my practice of art as philosophy materialized.” (from Tomáš Ruller's book “Perform-Made”, p. 404.)
“I would suggest that visual performance be characterized and evaluated as human activity in an artistic context, as an activity that is non-utilitarian and non-illusional. At the same time, one needs to keep in mind the institutional and historical connections, especially within the context of conceptual fine art.” (from Jana Orlová’s Ph.D. thesis: “Visual Performance and Theatre”, p. 91.)
Viktor Fuček: “For me, performance is a means of survival in this world.”
David Helán: “A performer is a person incapable of leading a normal life; we call their attempts to live “a performance”.”
