The article recounts the author's experience at the 2025 Performa biennial in New York, beginning on November 4 with the death of Dick Cheney and the election of Zohran Mamdani as mayor. The author attended Diane Severin Nguyen's performance "War Songs," which restaged historical protest concerts from the Vietnam War era, blending anti-war anthems with pop music. The piece also highlights missing performances by Lina Lapelytė and Ayoung Kim, and expresses anticipation for Aria Dean's play "The Color Scheme."
Performa matters because it is a high-stakes biennial that supports artists' first forays into performance, often producing ambitious, heavily produced works that later travel to other institutions. The article reflects on the risks involved for both artists and audiences, the challenge of choosing among sold-out shows, and the enduring power of live protest art in an age of digital activism. It underscores how performance art can make political dissent feel urgent and moving, contrasting with the superficiality of social media statements.