I have undertaken former studies and practice as a visual artist, in creation (poi sis), creative expression (expression creatrice) and expressive art therapy (art therapie expressive). My previous research on the multi-disciplinary performance, of Sergei Diaghilev's ballet. Petrushka that represents one example of the Russian Commedia dell'Arte masked tradition, awoke an interest in creating a form of performance art that aimed to mystify the audience by diverse forms of concealment or masking during the performance. This thesis is concerned with the audience experience of interpreting mystifying performance art. My research will be approached by applying the Gadamerian practical philosophy of hermeneutics i.e. interpretation through a dialogue or conversation, which involves question and answer, in order to achieve an understanding. I will conclude with the idea that understanding, in hermeneutical terms and as a result of an interpretation, seems to appear not definitive. The implication of this idea questions if there is such thing as understanding a mystifying performance art?

This thesis argues that theatricalization is an appropriate paradigm to employ in a political reassessment of the historical avant-garde moments of Futurism, Dada and Surrealism. Through an analysis of the performativity and theatricality of the manifestos and manifestations of these successive avant-garde, it is suggested that each avant-garde moment self-dramatizes a destructive character. An argument is then developed that the destructive character of the avant-garde demonstrates and displays a libertarian-barbarian dialectic which emerges from within the discourses of anarchism and nihilism, in particular from Michael Bakunin’s maxim: ‘the passion for destruction is a creative passion, too’. The destructive character of the avant-garde is manifest most clearly in the manifestos which announce and perform a desire for the destruction of the institution of art and the re-integration of art and life, as advanced by Peter Bürger. Identifying a parallel between the discourses of theatricalization and aestheticization in Symbolist drama, I argue that the paradigm of theatricalization necessitates a critical re-assessment of the polarity which Walter Benjamin advances, between the aestheticization of politics and the politicization of art. Further, it is suggested, we must also re-examine the polarity which Bürger asserts between Aestheticism and the avant-garde with respect to the question of autonomy in art. Thus, from Bakunin’s initial breakdown of the opposition between destruction/creation we embark upon a re-examination of the polarity between key terms of the avant-garde: libertarian/barbarian; incarnation/integration; aestheticization/politicization; theatricality/performativity. The theatricalization of avant-garde manifesto is then articulated in the context of Habermas’ study of the structural transformation of the public sphere from feudalism (theatricalization) to capitalism (literalization).

Cette thèse pose la question de l’exigence artistique dans les pratiques théâtrales en amateur. On s’appuie principalement sur l’observation de festivals de portée départementale ou nationale, suivant l’hypothèse que ces manifestations favorisent les discussions sur les choix esthétiques. La recherche se déploie autour d’une interrogation : quand une activité artistique se pratique dans un cadre non professionnel, comment s’articulent les objectifs d’amélioration de la qualité des spectacles avec le souci de maintenir un respect mutuel ? Constituée à partir de l’analyse des représentations et des rencontres inscrites à l’affiche des festivals, l’étude a été complétée par des entretiens avec les membres des troupes participantes, des comités d’organisation ou des jurys, dont certains artistes professionnels. On structure les résultats obtenus en s’intéressant d’abord aux conditions dans lesquelles les amateurs satisfont leur passion et en évoquant les moyens et les outils dont ils se dotent collectivement pour y parvenir. Puis on envisage les façons dont les amateurs exercent leur jugement quand il leur faut construire le programme d’un festival. On aborde alors les festivals en les considérant comme des expériences de vie et on considère les valeurs mises en œuvre dans ces aventures humaines. Un dialogue est instauré entre tous ces aspects et différentes conceptions théoriques de l’art, selon que l’accent est placé sur ce qui se passe lors d’une représentation, sur les intentions, sur l’expertise ou sur les effets. On insiste sur la dimension sociale de ces pratiques et sur le fait que le temps disponible est consacré de préférence au plateau, plutôt qu’aux discours / This thesis deals with the question of the artistic demand in amateur theatre practices. It mainly relies on the observation of national or departmental festivals, based on the assumption that these events allow for the debating about aesthetical choices. The research is driven by on the interrogation: when one practises an artistic activity as a non-professional, how to articulate the objectives of improving the quality of the shows with the concern for maintaining a mutual respect? The study analyses performances and group discussions scheduled during the festivals, completed by interviews with some members of companies, or of the organising committees, or of the juries, some of them being professional artists. The results are taken up, in turn, beginning with the conditions under which the amateurs satisfy their passion, including the means they collectively develop and put into action, therefore. Then the ways of assessing one’s taste when having to elaborate the program of a festival are examined. It is then proposed to regard festivals as whole experiences of life and to take into account the values which are at work during these human adventures. All these aspects are put into dialogue together with some theoretical conceptions of art, according to the most significant elements: intentions, expertise, effects. The social dimension of the practices is underlined, as well as the fact that amateurs have rather spend their time on scene, rather that discussing