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

Across Lower East Side dives in the early 2000s, Brian Chase, Nick Zinner, and Karen O put on otherworldly rock shows that verged on performance art—a blaze of vodka-spitting, mic-fellating, IDGAF unruliness and explosive, clamorous tracks. — Megan Buerger, Pitchfork, 5 Nov. 2026

Sure, Sol LeWitt's swirls are here, but MASS MoCA is also home to incredible music, dance, theater, performance art, and film by luminaries like Wilco and David Byrne. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 20 Oct. 2026

With help from Cash App, eBay, MAC Cosmetics and MISTR, the Spectacular will combine live music and performance art with hands-on community engagement. — Spin Staff, SPIN, 9 Oct. 2026

That’s also how Violet is thinking about their portrayal of Maureen, whose eccentric performance art and selfish behavior often give the character a bad rap. — Ellise Shafer, Variety, 8 Oct. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1971, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for performance art

• apart
• depart
• flowchart
• forepart
• impart
• pushcart
• rampart
• redstart
• restart
• subpart
• sweetheart
• upstart