Il reincanto della performance, probabilmente

Abstract

The re-enchantment of the performance, probably. The art world has long been confronted with the loss of symbolic meaning of an increasingly reified existence. If the digital universe represents an escape route from the void of meanings, the pandemic has paradoxically brought back to the forefront the importance of action in presence, of performance, to identify new creative paths. The hypothesis formulated by the writer is that the ritual function of the performative action allows the reorganization of the symbolic order related to an artistic imaginary. The article analyzes in detail the performance of Zoltan Fazekas, PROBABLY, which was held in Catania from December 2020 to June 2021. Fazekas' performance features symbolic elements and ritual actions similar to those of other performances by contemporary artists. The study allows us to hypothesize the symbolic re-enchantment function of the performance, all the more important in moments of crisis such as the one induced by the recent pandemic. Creative artistic activity is becoming increasingly important to counteract the chronic passivity syndrome linked to techno-consumerism.

Keywords

• performance
• contemporary art
• ritual
• symbol
• re-enchantment