Attending to a work can itself constitute an artistic act

Evidence

We may speak here of ATTENTIONAL PERFORMANCE in that, far from being considered a phenomenon coming after the fact that remains external to works that supposedly exist autonomously, here the reception of the work is rooted in the production of a joint co-presential attention to the work, an attention which is itself raised to the level of artistic activity. — Yves Citton, The Ecology of Attention, 437

Categorization

• DEFINE: Introduces ‘attentional performance’ — reception itself raised to the level of artistic activity.
• XREF: Resonates with deep-listening traditions (Pauline Oliveros) and with McGoohan-style participatory art where the audience completes the work. — connects to: Any moment that attracts attention can be reframed as an art experience — Pauline Oliveros, Deep Listening, 372; Everyday moments of attention can be framed and shared as art experiences — Pauline Oliveros, Deep Listening, 372; All art is a request for and record of attention — The Friends of Attention, Attensity!: A Manifesto of the…, 382 (+6 more)
• SEED: Angle: the Order of the Third Bird as a model for ‘attention work’ — a new kind of artistic practice where spectatorship is the medium.

Broader Connections

• Any moment that attracts attention can be reframed as an art experience #expands (0.88) — Pauline Oliveros, Deep Listening, 372
• Everyday moments of attention can be framed and shared as art experiences #expands (0.85) — Pauline Oliveros, Deep Listening, 372
• Great art creates attentional situations, not just artifacts #corroborates (0.85) — The Friends of Attention, Attensity!, 383
• Artworks can function as prostheses that train attention on the familiar environment #corroborates (0.85) — Jenny Odell, How to Do Nothing, 365
• Both creating and receiving art demand skilled labor on attention #expands (0.82) — Yves Citton, The Ecology of Attention, 435
• All art is a request for and record of attention #expands (0.80) — The Friends of Attention, Attensity!, 382
• Anti-art action-events made non-events the point of the piece #exemplifies (0.78) — J. Hoberman, Everything Is Now, 1442
• Performance art’s reputation rests on documentation rather than the event itself #complicates (0.75) — J. Hoberman, Everything Is Now, 1917