Arteología: serie de eventos informacionales [Artology: A Series of Informational Events], is a dossier of six texts by Marco Antonio Ettedgui, the Venezuelan performance artist, that provides information on the purpose and structure of his series “Arteología: una presentación; un texto informativo y crítico sobre lo que se define como Arteología, tres memoranda” [Artology: A Presentation; An Informative Text and Critique of What is Defined as Artology, Three Memorandums” (numbered 1, 2, 3)]. They were intended “for public spectators” and refer to the events Punkcake and Post-punkcake, and to a communication (without number or addressee) regarding Gastronomía dirigida [Guided Gastronomy]. Ettedgui interlaces programmatic information with concepts useful for analyzing codes or social sectors, the function of art and the role of the artist. He defines Arteología as a new language that combines theater, visual arts, multimedia, and the “committment of the body-of-the-artist.” His texts and memorandums are signed “Ettedgui/el artista informa/el artista educa” [Ettedgui/the artist reports/the artist educates].

This text by journalist, playwright, and Venezuelan performance artist Marco Antonio Ettedgui (1958–81) exemplifies his ongoing intent to “inform, educate, and move” the public, which he reiterates each time he signs one of his texts. The artist not only conveys the programmatic information of his events, he also introduces new concepts and terms (ethnocidal education, punkist-ideological attitudes, asex, for example); through this information he seeks to define, in a more precise manner, the critical content of his proposals for body art. His writings possess the same talent and command of communication techniques as his events, his intense questioning of the values of contemporary society, Venezuelan politics, and institutionalization. 

In order to achieve his purpose, Ettedgui explains his series of Artology events—which, for that moment, represented irreverently avant-garde actions—using a classic, highly effective method of communication: the “Memorandum.” The artist explains his conceptual platform: “my work stems from a new language. The term action is not the property of the bold artists of the body, it belongs to the origin of everything.” This group of documents reflects his caustic sense of humor as well as his characteristic irony and parody. 

This text was published in ETTEDGUI, arte-información para la comunidad, compilation by Alejandro Varderi (Caracas: Ediciones Oxígeno, 1985), the only book that gathered together his writings in three sections: poetry, theater, and performance. The final section is introduced by an essay by Elsa Flores, “Entrada al cuerpo del cuerpo” [see ICAA digital archive (doc. no. 1152721)].

Other texts by the artist include “Hospitalización por cálculo renal: evento informacional de la serie ‘Salones de Belleza’ llevados a la práctica por su artista favorito, Marco Antonio Ettedgui” (doc. no. 865734); “Feliz cumpleaños, Marco Antonio: evento informacional de Marco Antonio Ettedgui a partir de la arquitectura de la Galería de Arte Nacional como texto artístico tradicional” (doc. no. 1152597); and “Higiene Corporal. Mens Sana in Corpore Sano. Evento informacional” (doc. no. 1152613).