Fashion as Performance Art

Throughout history fashion and art have shared a symbiotic relationship to which each discipline simultaneously inspires encourage and competes with the other.this phenomenon is more vivid in the recent years.the late 90s marks the point at which this collaboration reached an effect far more reaching and as a result we have seen an emergence in fashion shows productions that communicates through the medium of performance art.(DUGGAN:2001).  However its to be understood that the Kaprow's happenings in the 60s were are beginning of performance art which was a term describing art activities that are primarily conceptual in nature and feature elements of live activities such as dance ,music,theatre and video(Morris and Kingsley:2001). In this essay will unpack the connection between music and fashion,the idea of fashion as a performance art and the artists and designers whose work reflects the idea of fashion as performance .we will look into the collaboration of Alexander McQueen and Bjork, Madonna and Jean Paul Gaultier as well as the runway shows of prominent designers such as Alexander McQueen ,John Galliano,Viktor and Rolf .will also discuss the ability of fashion to communicate meaning and unpack the role of media and technology .

IDEA OF FASHION AS PERFORMATIVE ART

Many of the patrons of art are keen enthusiasts of the high fashion and this has led to museums holding fashion exhibitions and fashion houses to sponsor   Art centres .this collaboration has led to the phenomenon of fashion show.these shows are usually more elaborate and big enough to rival a big theatre production.they often use elaborate costumes,lights props music and set and the result is mini dramas.the only difference is that these fashion shows unlike the theatre production are there for a purpose of marketing (Duggan:2001)

Many designers have earned a reputation and cemented their place among the elite of the fashion industry because of their elaborate and spectacular shows.these shows have helped shape individual images of designer and in turn help in branding of both their individual names and their labels for example Alexander McQueen is expected to put an extravagant outrageous and controversial show each season thereby establishing him as one of the hottest fashion labels and designer not to mention attracting a huge following of celebrities(Duggan:2001).

 The following designers are considered among the best in the industry and they best embodied the idea of fashion as performance art.

 Robert Kushner

In the 70s Robert Kushner a conceptual artist started combining sculpture ,clothing and performance.he called his clothes costumes and gave them flamboyant names such as queen androgyne and pagoda canopy .his first performance was costume for moving bodies  he set up an exhibition installing clothing sculptures on the wall