TY - JOUR AU - Herrschaft, Felicia PY - 2008/05/31 Y2 - 2024/03/28 TI - Performing Proximity—"Learning To Fly" JF - Forum Qualitative Sozialforschung / Forum: Qualitative Social Research JA - FQS VL - 9 IS - 2 SE - Thematic Issue DO - 10.17169/fqs-9.2.393 UR - https://www.qualitative-research.net/index.php/fqs/article/view/393 SP - AB - The following paper is about artists doing experimental and performative art who expect the spectators to become participants in the process of artwork production. The artwork is thus produced through a process of participation. As a researcher, I was similarly expected to participate in the artwork process. As I observed, the artists worked at having their agency in the artwork process recognized by the participating spectators. At the same time, the artists create a certain proximity to the spectators-participants through performing art, which I call "performing proximity." By involving the participants in their art-in-process, they make use of their agency to redefine the artworld and enlarge it into other social worlds. I also discuss how artists' ability to enact redefined social worlds can be compared to agency in performative social science and in biographical research.URN: urn:nbn:de:0114-fqs0802629 ER -