Concentrating on one of the very basic materials that can be presented on stage, the body, Artists pushed themselves as much as the audience to their limits. The artists, especially at that time, forced their bodies to any extreme by performing naked, cutting it or using it until it would collapse. An individuals privacy was often put on exibit, for example when performers slept in public or performed naked. Not only the body's limits were frequently discussed themes at that time but also the borders of the stage that had been known till then, the borders of time or the interaction with the audience. Especially Marina Abramovic's performance 'The Artist is present' (MoMA, New York 2010) surprised the audience by its simplicity and directness. People apreciated this performance as a new kind of an honest approach to art.

Why does Body Art continually increase its popularity today and why is it neccessary to learn the rules and structures inherent in it? In times of High technical speed and stage settings as well as opportunities that can pretty much turn a stage into a cinema hall, it is interesting and challenging to experience what the first material a performer puts on stage is able to do with it.

The body- with all its limits, specialities and unabilities- will be the topic of this course. Students will learn about Body Art Performance history, reflect on their own body-material and perform exercises with their own bodies, both in groups and in an environmental context.
Furthermore, the self approach of Body Art to be very reflective and immediate will be discussed critically.

The course will be separated into a theoretical and a practical part. It will be required to read all theoretical material in advance. Students should wear comfortable clothes.
There will be an internal presenation of each individual performance in the end of the course, followed by a critique talk.

Credits: 5