Performance Art is nothing new. Historically, for example, all we need look at are tribal rituals through to abstract expressionist New York "happenings." However, in relation to ‘Art’ as we now know it, performance is based on a sense of theatre; one that eliminates any barriers between the various disciplines of art and allows the ‘artists’ to combine, neglect, absorb, or become the art they are creating. This idea of performance art is one that has been in practice heavily since the 1950s and has been an effective way for artists to express themselves in an immediate sense. They exhibit not only the ‘show’ but also current affairs through artistic-theatrical activities derived from reductive experiments and the dematerialization of work into the simplest form; presenting the artist rather than the art. It captures situations in society, politics or indeed art through physical gestures freed from traditional ideology. It is perhaps still the most accessible and ready art form around today, even though it has recently been contended by the digital image; I believe it still remains the purest form of art.

So when invited to see Reactor’s FUNCTION V offering at Birmingham’s Spectacle Gallery I was intrigued to experience Performance Art first hand. I had previously heard of Reactor, a Nottingham based ‘collective’, who have worked on and with many other projects of this type previously and had quite the high reputation. Their work is said to focus "on developing works collectively, based around ideas of evolution and interaction…[challenging] the viewer to no longer be a passive observer but to directly respond and interact with the work." By putting an element of the ‘show’ in the hands of the captivated audience, the air of uncertainty is indeed heightened and I found myself on edge through the entirety of the evening for fear of being ‘picked on’ and asked to contribute in some zany manner that would please both choreographer and audience. I enjoy art as I am safe in the role of voyeur and was unsure in my new role as ‘crowd,’ and I am not 100% sure if I totally enjoyed the event as a result.

On entering we were informed of health and safety risks by two over excited gentlemen in small round masks who yelped out instructions to an audience masking their own fear by nervous grins. The large audience were then bullied and ordered into the main gallery space and kept in order by two stern security guards which made everyone immediately uneasy with shoulders hunched and gripping onto to fellow lab rats nervously. When the drinks bar was opened however, the mood lightened and I watched pleased to see people get involved when left to their own devices to include themselves in the show or simply gaze upon those who did.

Personal highlights of the show for me were Robin Close who milled about the space, unaware he was particularly being watched getting on with his work. Moving his television monitors from one area to another unravelling toilet role around his feet as he spun robotically on the spot, his television screens echoing what he saw through the toilet roll and what was being discarded around his feet. His air of subtlety was a lovely aside for many that gazed at him, and got lost in his repetitive motions. He held the viewer for a second longer than the others as his motion was comforting with an air of the familiar, unlike the rest of the evening.

My other highlight has to be Luke Ferris and Daniel Oliver, the two boys who appeared high on E numbers with their Blue Peter style Halloween masks. A constant shock throughout the evening, they did however keep the event exciting and fluid. Directing the crowd from one moment to the next, without them I fear that the event may have actually been a little dull.

The guest curator of the event was the notorious AuntyNazi, which brought into the equation an interesting mix of artists. The other artists on show were: Jonathan Waring, Nick Holloway, Katie Doubleday, Katherine Cooper, Tina Carter, Joanna Callaghan, Roman Alaska, Harminder Judge and, of course, Reactor.