From Spectacle to Scene: A Pragmatist Approach to Performing Live

Drawing from the philosophies of pragmatism and somaesthetics, as developed by Richard Shusterman, this inquiry argues that performance holds a unique ontological status, one that emphasizes participation, shared meaning making, and the aesthetic qualities of ordinary, lived experience. As a philosopher trained as a dancer, I share some insights from my own experience as a performer offering a first-person aesthetic experience as a tool for conceptual inquiry. This experience allows the inquiry to explore the distinction between “scene” and “spectacle”, positioning the scene as a space of co-creation, in contrast to the distant, objectifying gaze encouraged by spectacle. By examining participatory projects and firsthand artistic experiences, I try to illustrate how performance can dissolve the boundaries between art and life, proposing a model of art that is shared, embodied, deeply connected to the rhythms of the everyday and gives foundation to a political transformation.