The Performance Art of Carlos Martiel: The Political Body and Social Change

Abstract

In the current dehumanized and tragic realities shaping our society, many turn to art to use the felt anger, sadness or pain to create something which may help themselves, others, and the world. Performance artist Carlos Martiel is one of those who first started making art to help himself, then, with his raw and impactful works, he inevitably began to help others. This essay investigates Martiel’s work, focusing on the central role of the body as a catalyst for change in the context of performance art. By demonstrating how his artistic practice resembles nonviolent protests, the view of performance art as artistic activism is suggested, acknowledging how their effect, affect, and Æffect, is resonant.