Life, Once More: Forms of reenactment in contemporary art By Sven Lutticken, Witte de With, Rotterdam, 2005

In the introduction the author is writing about reenactments and how they represent „original performance“. He is stating, that reenactments are being represented in the form of photos and videos. Additionally the author is specifying, that performative art tries to fight repetition with repetition, ultimately recharging the past by duplicating the events.

In the chapter „An Arena in Which to Reenact“ Sven Lütticken is expressing that history is coming from authors, who are also actors and spectators at the same time and underlines this with a quote by Harold Rosenberg. Taking the 1960s as an example, he is saying that people should submit themselves as commodities rather than consuming commodities passively. The labor crowd shall step out of being interchangeable and rather become, or perform – as Lütticken is calling it – as a unique commodity-person. Later on he is telling, that representation is happening in every society „(…) with people presenting themselves in ways that seem favorable and suited themselves (…)“. The author is claiming that nowadays media is filled with reality TV, showing unoriginal, repetitive nature of performance. The public should rather appear authentic with unique feelings and actions. Lütticken is saying that „citation has to operate within narrow limits, without much variation“, therefore staying true to ones self and to have an network value with others. He is stating, that reenactment of ones self and of everyone as well is becoming a crucial performative strategy.

Finally Lütticken is describing, that historical reenactment may help people escaping daily life, but may also be an archaic challenge to the now. He is questioning what role artistic reenactments can play in a world that is more and more shaped by „(…) neoconservatives and religious fundamentalists (…)“.

Ultimately he is describing, that everything is open to appropriation and mainstream historical reenactment may provide impulses eventually creating new spaces for possible, extraordinary work.