“Once upon a time” Performative ultra-conceptualism and storytelling as conservation—Florence Jung

Artist Florence Jung eschews the label of ‘performance art’ and deliberately avoids personal presence in her works. She creates situations that embody uncertainty and instability, seeking to cultivate inclusivity and engage everyone in the experiences she constructs. Her works often lack tangible elements and documentation, blurring the lines between staged events and reality, leading to narratives and rumors as the primary means by which her art endures. This essay explores Jung’s performative ultra-conceptualism and her choice not to personally document her works, instead emphasizing storytelling as a means of survival for her context-driven art. From a conservation and collections perspective, the essay raises questions about how to handle her unconventional works, which often exist in the realm of thoughts, shifting contexts, and oral transmission—much like, or perhaps even further elucidating, the logic of ‘traditional’ performance. Ultimately, it argues that Jung’s performative ultra-conceptualism, rooted in invisibility and intangibility, can be conveyed through storytelling and rumors, offering a unique way to experience and preserve them.