performance art

noun

: a nontraditional art form often with political or topical themes that typically features a live presentation to an audience or onlookers (as on a street) and draws on such arts as acting, poetry, music, dance, or painting
performance artist noun

Examples of performance art in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
There was the hub of the downtown art scene and the performance art scene. — Lily Moayeri, SPIN, 31 Aug. 2026 Kusama’s art influenced the histories of minimalism, pop art, and performance art; more recently her large-scale installations single-handedly pioneered what is now referred to as experiential art. — Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 27 Aug. 2026 Budet responded by installing his own warning sign beside the statue as a piece of performance art. — George Nelson, ARTnews.com, 19 Aug. 2026 The oldest African American Baptist church in the city is close to being purchased and repurposed into a performance art center. — Kamal Morgan, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 11 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for performance art

Word History

First Known Use

1971, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of performance art was in 1971

Rhymes for performance art

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Browse Nearby Words

performance
performance art
performance-enhancing drug
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Cite this Entry

“Performance art.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/performance%20art. Accessed 4 Sep. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on performance art

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about performance art

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