ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses objects as one of the materials of performance art in relation to key concepts such as playfulness, agency, participation, duration, space, transformation, subjectivity etc. Objects are introduced as an art material which is loaded with expectations and history; as a material that has been deprived of its function in the readymade; as a material that may be interpreted through its use and as a material which may hold agency. The use of objects in performance is analyzed through the various case studies, activities and action prompts. We introduce methods of working with objects in performance that incorporate playfulness. Food is also proposed as something that has been used as an object or as raw material for object creation in performance. Lastly, the role of objects in creating a narrative of the self is explored through issues that arise in the collection.
