Performance art challenges the idea that identity is something fixed or natural by showing that it can be created, changed, and performed. Through character, transformation, and embodiment, artists reveal how identity is shaped by social expectations, media, and perception. Instead of presenting a stable sense of self, performance art shows identity as something fluid and constantly shifting. When looking at artists such as Lynn Hershman Leeson and Cindy Sherman, it becomes clear that identity is not something we simply are, but something we are always building, even when we are not fully aware of it.
Performance art often uses the body as its main medium, which makes identity feel more immediate and personal. It is not just something we observe, but something we can almost feel. In Frantisek Deak’s discussion of character in artistic performance, he explains how artists use character to step outside of themselves and explore how identity works in society. By taking on different roles or personas, artists show that behaviors and expectations are learned rather than natural (Deak, 1980). This idea can feel a little uncomfortable, because it suggests that who we are is not as stable as we might think. Instead, identity is shaped over time through repetition and interaction with others. This idea can also be seen in works like Tracy and the Plastics, where multiple characters are performed through a mix of live performance and video, making identity feel flexible and constantly shifting depending on context.
One of the most powerful examples of this is Lynn Hershman Leeson’s creation of Roberta Breitmore. Instead of just acting as a character for a short moment, Hershman Leeson fully lived as Roberta over a long period of time. She created documents, built relationships, and developed a full life for this persona. What makes this work so interesting is how real it starts to feel. It becomes hard to tell where the performance ends and reality begins (Hershman Leeson, 2012). Roberta was not just an idea, but someone who existed within real systems and interacted with real people.
This makes the work feel both fascinating and a little unsettling. It shows how identity can be constructed through external systems like institutions and social interactions. Things like identification, records, and recognition from others help make identity feel real and stable. It makes you question how much of identity actually comes from within, and how much depends on how others see and validate us. Hershman Leeson’s work suggests that identity might be less about who we truly are and more about how we are recognized in the world.
While Hershman Leeson builds identity over time, Cindy Sherman explores identity through visual transformation. In works like Doll Clothes and her photographic series, Sherman uses costumes, makeup, and staging to turn herself into completely different characters (Sherman, 1975). Each image feels like a new person, even though it is always her. There is something both impressive and slightly unsettling about how easily she can shift between identities. It makes identity feel less solid and more dependent on appearance and context. This idea can also be seen in contemporary social media, such as creators like Bistro Huddy on TikTok, where one person plays multiple characters using small changes in appearance. Many viewers forget it is the same person, which shows how easily identity can shift depending on how it is presented.
Sherman’s work also highlights how strongly the media influences identity. Many of her characters look familiar, like people from movies, advertisements, or common social roles. This shows that identity is not created on its own, but shaped by what we constantly see around us. When Sherman exaggerates these roles, it becomes clear that they are constructed. This can make viewers pause and think about how their own identities might also be shaped by outside expectations.
Another important part of Sherman’s work is that there is no clear “real” version of her behind the images. Instead of presenting one true identity, she shows multiple versions that all feel equally constructed. This challenges the idea that there is a single, authentic self. Instead, identity starts to feel like a collection of roles that change depending on the situation. This idea can feel freeing, but also a little overwhelming, because it makes identity seem less stable.
Even though Hershman Leeson and Sherman use different approaches, both artists show that identity is something that can be created, shaped, and performed. Hershman Leeson focuses more on how systems and time build identity, while Sherman focuses on transformation and visual representation. Together, their work shows that identity is not fixed, but constantly influenced by social and cultural forces.
This idea feels especially relevant today with social media. People present versions of themselves through photos, posts, and profiles. Sometimes these versions feel real, and other times they feel more like performances. It can be hard to tell the difference. In a way, this feels similar to Sherman’s shifting characters, Hershman Leeson’s constructed identity, or Tracy and the Plastics’ use of multiple personas. It makes you think about how much of what we show to others is real, and how much is shaped by what we think others expect.
Performance art makes these ideas more visible. It takes something we usually do without thinking and turns it into something we can actually see and question. Even though it can feel uncomfortable, that discomfort is important. It pushes us to think more deeply about identity and how it works in our lives.
In conclusion, performance art uses character and transformation to challenge traditional ideas of identity. Through the work of Lynn Hershman Leeson, Cindy Sherman, and connections to works like Tracy and the Plastics and contemporary creators, it becomes clear that identity is not something fixed or natural, but something that is constantly shaped and performed. Their work encourages us to reflect on how identity is created and to recognize that it is something we are always participating in, whether we realize it or not.
Deak, F. (1980). The use of character in artistic performance. Dumb Ox, #10/11.
Hershman Leeson, L. (2012). Roberta Breitmore [Video].
Sherman, C. (1975). Doll Clothes [Film].
Art21. (2011). Cindy Sherman: Characters [Video].
Greenwood, W. (2000s). Tracy and the Plastics [Performance].