“The nature of performance art allows for an open space for audience engagement, and it is within these unscripted moments that the true magic of the performance often resides.”
Regular readers may have worked out something about the voidspace by now: that we have a bit of mission. We want to bring creators and audiences for interactive arts of all kinds together, and recognise a common core that they share: shifting boundaries between artist and audience, a deepening of audiences’ connection to the work through direct dialogue (spoken or unspoken), and the power of playful and spontaneous engagement to create emotionally resonant experiences.
Yiannis Pappas, the first long-duration performance artist to visit the voidspace, is no stranger to these concepts. He talks to us about his practice, his performance of A Key, as part of the recent Marina Abramovic Institute takeover of the Queen Elizabeth Hall, and the role that interactivity plays in his art.
voidspace:
Welcome to the voidspace. Make yourself at home. First of all, please tell us a little bit about who you are, and what you do.
Yiannis Pappas:
The response to this question is contingent on who is inquiring and the context in which it is asked. If the query stems from a government representative, my reply might be, “I am Ioannis Pappas, a Greek national, and I work as a freelancer in Germany. I possess a series of codes and numbers that provide more comprehensive information than the details I’ve just shared.”
Conversely, if you were asking as a new acquaintance, I might respond with, “I am Yiannis, and I’m currently disheartened by the global political climate. I’m striving to express my concerns through more artistic means, aiming to stimulate people’s engagement.” Of course, there are numerous other responses depending on the context. So, I am your guest and I am happy doing an interview with you, Katy!
voidspace:
What issues and themes does your body of work explore?
Yiannis Pappas:
My body of work primarily delves into the intricate relationship between space-time and the human body, both within natural and urban environments. This exploration is fundamentally driven by a critical examination of space itself, which is regarded as a dynamic realm for both physical and symbolic expressions.
In my artistic endeavors, I aim to dissect how these elements interact and coalesce, leading to a profound understanding of the way individuals navigate and interact within their surroundings. This examination encompasses a wide range of themes, including the impact of physical spaces on human behavior, the symbolism associated with specific locations, and the intersection between our physical presence and the environment.
The interplay between space, time, and the human body serves as a central axis for my work, as I seek to uncover the underlying connections and narratives that unfold in both natural landscapes and the structured architecture of urban settings. This multidimensional approach allows me to address questions surrounding identity, culture, and the human experience, while shedding light on the intricate interplay of physical and symbolic enactments within various spaces.
voidspace:
What drew you to this art form?
Yiannis Pappas:
My attraction to long-duration art stems from several factors, but one key aspect that drew me to this art form is its inherent immateriality. This attraction developed after spending an extended period working as a conservator of tangible works of art. In contrast to the physical nature of traditional artworks, long-duration art embraces the ephemeral and immaterial, focusing on the experiential and temporal aspects of artistic expression.
This transition allowed me to explore the boundaries of art beyond the confines of physical objects and tangible materials. Long-duration art offers a unique platform to engage with the intangible, emphasizing the passage of time, human interaction, and the transformation of the artistic experience over extended periods. It presents a departure from the traditional art forms I had encountered in my conservator and sculptural work, and this shift toward the immaterial has been a significant source of inspiration in my artistic journey.
voidspace:
What are your main influences?
Yiannis Pappas:
My creative work draws inspiration from a diverse range of sources. Books play a crucial role in shaping my ideas and perspectives, offering a treasure trove of knowledge and imagination. Conversations with individuals from various backgrounds and walks of life also leave a profound impact, providing me with fresh insights and perspectives. Then, these relationships and friendships I cultivate are another significant influence. These connections with others, their stories, and their experiences contribute to the rich tapestry of my artistic expression.
Nature and the urban environment serve as contrasting yet equally important sources of influence, offering a wellspring of inspiration through their inherent beauty and complexity. Remarkably, even my physical surroundings, like my desk and the ceiling above, have an impact. They can trigger moments of reflection, contemplation, and inspiration. Altogether, these diverse influences converge to inform and enrich my creative process.
Photograph courtesy of the artist
voidspace:
What have you learnt from being part of the Marina Abramovic Institute?
Yiannis Pappas:
My experience as part of the Marina Abramovic Institute has been incredibly enlightening. It has exposed me to several valuable insights and learnings.
First and foremost, I’ve gained a profound appreciation for the commitment and dedication required in the realm of long-duration performance art. The Institute’s emphasis on exploring this medium has equipped me with a deeper understanding of the power and potential of extended performances, allowing me to push the boundaries of artistic expression.
Furthermore, my time at the Institute has provided me with the opportunity to engage in open and collaborative artistic endeavors. This openness and willingness to work together with fellow artists has enriched my creative process and broadened my perspective on the possibilities within the world of art.
In addition to the artistic aspects, my participation in Marina’s method, “Cleaning the House,” has been a transformative personal journey. This method has prompted me to delve deep into self-exploration and introspection, unveiling new facets of my own identity and creative potential. It has served as a catalyst for personal growth and self-discovery, contributing to my development as both an artist and an individual.
voidspace:
How do you use interactivity in your work?
Yiannis Pappas:
Interactivity plays a multifaceted role in my artistic practice. I employ it through various means and forms. One approach involves actively engaging the audience, allowing them to participate in the creation of the entire work. For instance, in the case of the performance REVISE, which unfolded at the Royal Theatre Carré in Amsterdam as part of the 2021 No Intermission project, the audience played a pivotal role in shaping the performance itself.
Another way I utilize interactivity is by intervening in real-time while I am performing. Take, for example, the performance A Key at the Queen Elizabeth Hall, where I involve the audience in bearing witness to a situation, conveying a statement, making a protest, or exploring an idea. This form of interaction generally in performance art is just as vital as physical engagement and involves a mental exchange with the audience.
voidspace:
The nature of your work is long durational, involving the need for physical, mental and emotional endurance. How do you prepare for your performances? How (if at all) does your relationship to the audience shift over the duration of the work?
Yiannis Pappas:
The preparation for my performances is a meticulous process, one that combines both mental and physical readiness. The extent of this preparation is contingent on the specific concept behind the performance, and while there are certain protocols in place regarding the duration and actions, it’s important to note that no rehearsals can be conducted beforehand.
Each performance requires a unique approach, often involving a rigorous mental and physical regimen that aligns with the core concept. This is essential for ensuring that I am adequately equipped to endure the demands of a long-duration performance. However, while foresight and planning are crucial, performance art thrives on its inherent unpredictability. The involvement of the audience introduces an element of dynamism and the unexpected.
Throughout the performance, I find that my relationship with the audience undergoes shifts and developments. As the performance unfolds, the audience becomes an active participant in the artistic experience. This interplay between the audience and the performer can lead to spontaneous and unforeseen interactions, enriching the overall impact of the work.
While there is a certain degree of anticipation and planning, the nature of performance art allows for an open space for audience engagement, and it is within these unscripted moments that the true magic of the performance often resides.
Photograph courtesy of the artist
voidspace:
Please tell me a little about the background to A Key
Yiannis Pappas:
Certainly, the background of A Key is quite intriguing, particularly regarding the choice of its title. The performance A Key delves into the complex issue of incarceration, exploring it as a multifaceted form of personal, political, economic, and religious confrontation. It also serves as a representation of the state of social exclusion and exploitation.
The title, A Key, has important symbolism in this context. It functions as a homophone in Greek (εκεί), representing the word “there” (an indicative molecule as well as a locative-temporal adverb). This linguistic duality encapsulates the essence of the performance, symbolizing both the relentless pursuit of escape and the coercive power that imprisonment exerts on individuals in a state of submission or punishment. This title embodies the tension and conflict inherent in the theme of incarceration, adding depth to the artistic exploration attempted in A Key.
voidspace:
This piece seemed to the observer to be extremely physically and mentally gruelling. How did you keep your focus and energy during the performance?
Yiannis Pappas:
By doing what it has to be done. Rescuing oneself (from any condition) needs concentration, right?
voidspace:
The holes in the cabinet were used by viewers to interact with you – leaving items for later (after you had broken through one or more walls) or immediate use. What, for you, did this use of interactivity add to the experience?
Yiannis Pappas:
Initially, I hesitated to repeat A Key after seven years, when it was first presented in 2016 at the Benaki Museum in Athens for the exhibition As One, curated by NEON and the Marina Abramovich Institute. However, the extended duration of the long performance and its participatory nature, in a completely different context involving the audience, the hosting institute, and the country, piqued my interest in experiencing this work again. This was especially true after the collective experience of pandemic-induced confinement that we all endured. I wanted to see if this action could be interpreted differently by the audience after the experiences we had had, and the attempt to move this action to a theatre space instead of a museum.
It was a social experiment in progress, but also another collaborative experiment over the last two years, focusing on the accessibility of performance art in theater, following the exhibition at the Royal Carre Theatre in Amsterdam for the participatory project No Intermission.
The items left for me represent evidence of empathy, or the expression of emotions through objects. As you mentioned, leaving an item in a closed cell that I cannot reach can be interpreted in various ways, such as a sadistic action, an act of care, or a surprise for the next day. The key point is that everyone can see and perceive these items, their nature, and their position as integral parts of the work that enters the performance space and becomes part of my body.
voidspace:
I noticed a wide range of items left for you – snacks, notes, someone’s phone number and even a condom (!) For me the mix of serious/sacred (the gravity and difficulty of the task, your exhaustion) and playful enriched the experience – especially given our modern tendency to treat the gallery as church. What is the role of the sacred and the playful in your work?
Yiannis Pappas:
I believe it is essential. In every living being there is something sacred and playful at the same time. Sacred is not above us but within us.
Photograph courtesy of the artist
voidspace:
I was moved by a profound sense of pity and sympathy as I watched A Key. The items left by viewers behind later panels reminded me of the little moments of connection or relief we look forward to – a birthday, a holiday – to make the work of the day to day feel a little less futile. I ended up delivering a food item – against the advice of the people working in the gallery shop who thought I shouldn’t interfere with the performance, which lent the action a sense of transgression too.
How does viewer response play into the impact of the piece? Were viewers’ responses to A Key what you were hoping for? Have the responses of viewers to performances in different part of the world varied?
Yiannis Pappas:
In this “minimal” performative interaction with the public, a variety of communicative situations can be observed through the objects offered, as well as the time they choose to spend observing the action. For example, notes asking for the key to release me before I even reach the last cell, leaving me without the only tool I have for my escape.
I will consume most of what is given, always deciding how much these items help me achieve my goal of escape. People’s desire to leave something useful in terms of body maintenance is also strong. Lots of water bottles, even though there are still unopened in my cell, lots of sweets that can give me energy but can also absorb a lot of it after excessive consumption.
Many observe more deeply, a napkin to wipe away sweat or use as gauze on wounded hands, another object that might be used as an escape tool, pills and medicines, notes with their thoughts on the action or even inspirational messages. Some cigarettes, alcohol, drugs, a lighter. A piece of paper, a pencil, a pen, a book or a page of a book, a drawing. Written complaints about the exhibition, about art, or performance art. Trash and leftovers. They approach, asking if I need anything, knocking on the boundary that separates us, the glass, to get my attention, maybe even to get a photo of me staring at the camera. They take some items to process or change their cell position, sometimes sadistically and sometimes helpfully.
Surely these actions are not only worthy of observation by the performer but also by the audience. Societies form behaviours, but there are nice people or jerks to be found everywhere.
voidspace:
The climax of the piece is when you reach the end of your journey and are given the way out by a viewer. You have to place a lot of trust in the individual at this point. Please tell me anything you’d like about how that element if the experience plays into the whole.
Yiannis Pappas:
In this performance, the final action is dedicated to the visitors, where the key to my freedom rests in their hands. They hold the power to decide whether to release me or leave me locked in, and there are no alternative outcomes. While I generally strive to avoid binary, either-or situations in my life/work, there are instances where a decision must inevitably lean one way or another.
This element of the performance adds an intriguing layer to the overall experience. It highlights the element of trust between the performer and the audience, as well as the inherent vulnerability of the artist. The audience becomes an active participant in the unfolding performance, holding the responsibility for the performer’s fate in their hands.
In a surprising turn of events during the performance at Southbank Centre, Marina Abramovic herself stepped in through the audience to rescue me. Her decision to free me from confinement added a unique dimension to the performance, demonstrating the unexpected and dynamic nature of live art. It’s a powerful illustration of how the relationship between the performer and the audience can evolve and manifest in unanticipated ways, contributing to the overall impact of the work.
voidspace:
What advice would you give to aspiring creators in your field?
Yiannis Pappas:
My advice to emerging artists is rooted in a few essential principles. Firstly, I would encourage them to wholeheartedly embrace the notion of shedding any trace of egocentrism. This applies not only to their artistic work but also to their everyday lives. The ability to prioritize the collective experience over individual recognition can lead to more profound and impactful creations.
Furthermore, I would emphasize the importance of experimentation. Aspiring creators should actively seek opportunities for collaboration and explore the boundaries of their own vulnerability. This willingness to push artistic boundaries and venture into uncharted territory can lead to innovative and groundbreaking work.
Finally, I would advise them to keep humanity at the forefront of their priorities. While a successful career is undoubtedly a significant goal, aspiring artists should never lose sight of their fundamental humanity. This involves understanding and empathizing with the experiences and emotions of others, and letting this compassion guide their creative endeavors. By placing humanity first and career ambitions second, artists can create work that resonates on a deeper level and makes a lasting impact.
Yiannis Pappas will participate in Venice International Performance Art Week, from 15 to 17 of December at the Pallazzo Mora in Venice, where he will have a video performance
installation curated by Francesco Kiais (GAP – Gathering Around Performance, Athens) and a live performance on the 16th of December curated by GAP, and VestAndPage.
You can find out more about more about his work here and on Instagram.