The dichotomy document or work of art

Abstract

The document itself is defined here as an object which an information is registered, as a communication, but not all of them are created with this function; there are those we attribute this documentary idea a posteriori. Thus, we can say that it would be the utilization itself that actually defines the object as a document. It’s common, in the art of performance, to show their records, made by photography or video, and the interpretation given to this material at the time of its musealization, or even during its exhibition, can affect its real functioning as a key piece in the artistic process. There is, then, a dichotomy that distinguishes between the document and the art. However, a record should not have its documentary value separated from itself, as it is able to instruct and to inform, in addition to serve as evidence. It can also become autonomous at the same time and thus, encompass the dual status: document and work of art.