Elisabeth Jappe "Video registration performance programme Documenta 8"

‘The 1987 Documenta 8 not only showed works by architects, designers and visual artists, but also had a programme of performances running the whole 100 days of Documenta. The programme was put together by Elisabeth Jappe from the Moltkerei Werkstatte in Cologne within the theme that Manfred Schneckenburger had devised for Documenta: 'the historic and social dimensions of contemporary art'. In performances the artist as person is at the centre, expressing texts, dance and movement through voice and gesture. Images, projections and sound are also often involved as part of the architectural surroundings. Recently, there has been a number of group performances, but without the sort of division of roles that is customary in the theatre. At Documenta 8 there were highly personal rituals carried out using very few means, as well as spectacular performances that could easily have gone on stage. The locations in Kassel varied from a warehouse, a discotheque, a church, a garage to a theatre. Elisabeth Jappe has selected for her video recording 31 performances including those by Kaprow, Horvers, Rosenbach, Hoover, Fox, Kubisch, Etant Donnés and Die Todliche Doris. The videotape lasts three hours and is being shown in two parts on Saturday 9th and Sunday 10th April from 4 p.m.. Elisabeth Jappe will be present at both showings to provide information.’ (‘From ritual, via action to performance’, Newsletter De Appel, 3 (1988) 1.)