An often offered comment about modern/contemporary art is the line “My 6 year old could do better than that!” Performance artist Shana Lutker is set to challenge the implications of this statement with her installation and performance “Hear it Here” at the X Initiative ground floor space on Friday November 6 as part of Performa 09.

In “Hear it Here” the audience is invited to spontaneously create lines for two actors by speaking into microphones that feed directly to the actors’ headphones on stage, who must repeat what they hear. This relinquishing of authorial control is but one of the defining aspects that differentiates performance art from the performing arts. And throughout New York City for the next 17 days and nights in a variety of locations the questioning nature of Performance art will invade the five boroughs as the Performa Biennial presents its third edition.

The brainchild of RoseLee Goldberg, the creation of a biannual performance art festival grew out of her production of the critical and popular success of visual artist Shirin Neshat’s first live performance work, Logic of the Birds. Four years later Performa 05 debuted in New York. Collaborating with museums, galleries, alternative spaces, and independent curators this first Performa Biennial offered a program of performances, exhibitions, symposia, and film screenings that attracted an audience of over 25,000 people.

Performa 09 will showcase the work of over 100 international performance artists along with 11 commissioned works in a program of performances, exhibitions, educational forums, public art projects, publications, and film screenings, along with radio, Internet, and television broadcasts.  With a “festival as think-tank” billing, Performa 09 will present visual art works that exist in time rather than as objects in locations that range from Museums to street corners.

The full Performa 09 list of events and venues can be seen here.

Meanwhile, tomorrow night, perhaps the validity of Pablo Picasso’s oft quoted line “All children are artists. The problem is how to remain an artist once he grows up” will be put to the test.