Like a play, performance art has a plot, however obscure it may seem. Unlike an actor developing a character, a performance artist is more like a shaman channeling a shrill, cracked, psychopathic banshee for about an hour. The three distinguishing techniques that put performance art on the map are the facts that there is always nudity, probably some urination and most certainly a never ending flow of scatological language. Think of an incontinent Andrew Dice Clay without pants. Obviously, there are exceptions to this broad, general definition.
Some people consider mule diving the pinnacle of performance art.
Others make a compelling case that dwarf bowling is the aesthetic essence of performance art. The purists, usually college professors, refuse to categorize mule diving and dwarf bowling because they lack nudity, urination and sufficient bodily function comments. As we type these words there are cutting edge geniuses attempting to integrate the best elements of several forms. Literature from veterinarian journals now conclusively confirms that the mules do indeed urinate when they hit the water. Avant garde dwarf bowling troupes are stripping down to their birthday suits, and using extremely salty language.