Let's twist again
If You Can't Think It, Dance It
Performance in Vienna from 1960 until today

Historical and contemporary objects of performance are documented in this wide-ranging anthology, the first to chart the historical development of the medium in Austria.

Historical and contemporary objects of performance are documented in this wide-ranging anthology, the first to chart the historical development of the medium in Austria. The volume published by Carola Dertnig and Stefanie Seibold shows a vast array of pieces from the past four decades. It also offers public access to a number of artistic items for the first time: items which, despite having been – and remaining – central to the domestic art scene, have been overlooked in official accounts of art history. The volume consciously highlights productions rooted firmly in an artistic context, and also establishes connections to experimental performance-related productions from theatre and revue as well as links to creative political activism. There is a specific emphasis on works dealing with sex and gender, subject matter that has generally been explored through the performance medium since the 1970s.
This richly illustrated and bilingual publication thereby raises awareness of the history of a medium which has consistently delivered critical impetus over recent decades, revolutionising the self-image of contemporary art and its reception. Several pages of text and images are dedicated to each of around 50 objects. Interviews with those who were there at the time, expert comment and in-depth analyses elucidate the relevance of the medium to present-day art, interpret the more stimulating approaches and strategies currently applied and reveal interconnections with other spheres of art.