Reviving High Performance: Celebrating the Legacy of a Groundbreaking Art Magazine
In 1978, artists Linda Frye Burnham and Richard Newton founded High Performance magazine after a unique experience involving LSD-laced garlic butter toast. The magazine aimed to document ephemeral art and provide a platform for performance artists in Los Angeles, challenging the dominance of New York City in the art world. High Performance played a crucial role in putting Los Angeles on the cultural map by showcasing performances and events in the city and beyond.
The inaugural issue of High Performance featured a striking black-and-white photograph of artist Suzanne Lacy in a helmet and yellow jumpsuit during her performance, "Cinderella in a Dragster." The magazine also included interviews, event listings, reviews, and photos of performances from various locations. High Performance was printed at Los Angeles Contemporary Exhibitions and later published by Astro Artz, now known as 18th Street Arts Center, a significant hub for performance art.
High Performance provided artists with a platform to share their own accounts of their performances, giving them control over the narrative of their work. This approach was groundbreaking at a time when the art market was gaining prominence in the gallery scene. The magazine's emphasis on documentation and storytelling reflected the ethos of the performance art community in Los Angeles during the 1970s and 1980s.
The Performance Art Museum recently launched a two-year conference dedicated to the history of High Performance and the magazine, aiming to connect the past with contemporary artists. The museum serves as a bridge between different generations of performance artists, fostering a sense of community and support within the field. Through initiatives like "Cinderella Redux," which continues Suzanne Lacy's iconic performance, PAM seeks to strengthen the practice of performance art and its relevance today.
To honor the legacy of High Performance, Image collaborated with the Performance Art Museum and artist Tyler Matthew Oyer to recreate some of the magazine's radical covers. The photo shoots took place at 18th Street Arts Center, highlighting the continuity of performance art in Los Angeles. Contemporary artists Carmen Argote, Kayla Tange, and Da Ron Vinson also created their own covers, symbolizing the connection between past and present in the ever-evolving landscape of performance art.
The ongoing dialogue between past and present in the performance art community reflects a commitment to storytelling, community building, and artistic expression. By revisiting iconic performances and reimagining them for a new era, artists continue to explore themes of identity, activism, and personal transformation. The legacy of High Performance lives on through the work of artists who push boundaries, challenge norms, and create meaningful connections through their art.