Defining performance art is difficult. Unlike other forms of art, performance relies not on the aesthetics of the piece but rather sets the ethics, or the social aspect of the work, center stage. In the same spirit as the Dada movement, performance artists force their art into the public space; removing art as it is perceived, secluded on its elitist museum pedestal, and confront their audience on the artist’s terms.

Performance art is believed to have started in the mid-‘50s. Continuing in the same vein as Marcel Duchamp’s Ready-mades, performances appeared sporadically across the globe until the early ‘60s when groups began to form such as the Fluxus artists in the West or the Gutai Group in Japan. Yet, there were many whose works remained their own, their message kept intact through their individuality. There were others whose passion change over time, much like Joseph Beuys leaving Fluxus to focus on the spirituality of man and nature.

Performance art can take many forms; however one characteristic shared is the reliance of an action carried out by the corporeal, typically the body of the artist. Because of this dependence, many performances are either lost or documented in-depth, accessible in video format today. Drawing from many social and political issues of their time, these varied subjects ranged from gender equality or sexual orientation such as the pieces by the Guerilla Girls. Most body art—as it is also known as—is controversial, challenging the viewer’s most deeply held beliefs.