performance art

noun

1. a collaborative art form originating in the 1970s as a fusion of several artistic media, as painting, film, video, music, drama, and dance, and deriving in part from the 1960s performance happenings.

performance art

noun

1. a theatrical presentation that incorporates various art forms, such as dance, sculpture, music, etc

Other Word Forms

• performance artist noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of performance art¹

First recorded in 1970–75

Example Sentences

When wealth becomes a substitute for participation, giving is reduced to performance art—proof of virtue, a way to appear magnanimous while still demanding ownership.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

A notable example is Kiran Nadar Museum of Art's new Delhi building, set to open in 2026, spanning 100,000 sq m and showcasing both visual and performance art.

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Doja Cat amped up the night’s chaos with a genre-bending performance that blurred pop and performance art.

Read more on Salon

It’s not often where you find a provocative band whose handcrafted performance art is just as vital to its legacy as its music.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

In contrast, Burton was performance art — rumpled, often rude, too fidgety to sit in long policy meetings.

Read more on Los Angeles Times