Critical Analysis of Guillermo Gomez-Pena's Performance Art

The purpose of this study was to critically investigate artist Guillermo Gómez-Peña's performance piece, Brownout: Border Pulp Stories in context for the meaning it holds with implications for art education. The guiding question was what does Gómez-Peña say about identity construction particularly of Mexican Americans and what are the possible implications for art education theory and practice. To answer the question, I conducted a literature review to understand the context in which performance art has developed in the twentieth century and where Gómez-Peña fits and to frame initial themes for analysis of Gómez-Peña's performance. I then used ethnographic techniques combined with critical analysis to analyze a performance Brownout: Border Pulp Stories. The primary research strategy developed by Anderson (2000) consists of immersion, description, analysis, interpretation, and thematics. As a supporting strategy I conducted personal interviews (Seidman, 1998) with the artist. The findings point to the significance of Gómez-Peña's work in chronicling significant issues that can contribute to identify characteristics of identity construction in particular of Mexican Americans. These findings offer a better understanding of diversity for educators that are interested in providing instruction across boundaries of race and class. In addition, the study examines the possibilities of postmodern performance art as critical multicultural art praxis that has the potential to cross-cultural and aesthetic boundaries, as well as borders between the arts and other academic subject, promoting interdisciplinary critical thinking toward a goal of overcoming structural barriers in society, and preparing students to participate in a democratic global society. Finally, suggestions are made for incorporating both the issues and the strategies of Gómez-Peña's performance pieces in art education theory and practice.