M4 #5 Marina Abramovic

Marina Abramović (November 30, 1946) is a New York-based Yugoslavian performance artist who began her career in the early 1970s. Active for over three decades, she has recently begun to describe herself as the “grandmother of performance art.” Abramović's work explores the relationship between performer and audience, the limits of the body, and the possibilities of the mind.

Rhythm 0, 1974
To test the limits of the relationship between performer and audience, Abramović developed one of her most challenging (and best-known) performances. She assigned a passive role to herself, with the public being the force which would act on her.
Abramović had placed upon a table 72 objects that people were allowed to use (a sign informed them) in any way that they chose. Some of these were objects that could give pleasure, while others could be wielded to inflict pain, or to harm her. Among them were a rose, a feather, honey, a whip, scissors, a scalpel, a gun and a single bullet. For six hours the artist allowed the audience members to manipulate her body and actions.

Initially, members of the audience reacted with caution and modesty, but as time passed (and the artist remained impassive) people began to act more aggressively. As Abramović described it later:

“What I learned was that... if you leave it up to the audience, they can kill you.” ... “I felt really violated: they cut up my clothes, stuck rose thorns in my stomach, one person aimed the gun at my head, and another took it away. It created an aggressive atmosphere. After exactly 6 hours, as planned, I stood up and started walking toward the audience. Everyone ran away, to escape an actual confrontation.”


Now this has to be the one artist/performance this semester that had me in shock. Watching and listening to her interview in class, had my stomach in knots. The discussion of why she would do that had me thinking. I believe its for the experience. Most people don't (as Glenn mentioned) want to experience the things she left herself open for, but she put it all out there for the experience. You can't really fear something (as much) after its already been done to you. At least as an performance art piece, it can be controlled and monitored. I admire her for her ability to put herself into thoes shoes. Marina, you are my master :)