Marina Abramović

Marina Abramović stands as a globally celebrated performance artist whose groundbreaking creations have consistently defied the norms of traditional art and questioned the intricate dynamics between the human body and its connection with the audience. 

In addition to her frequently provocative performances, Abramović has seamlessly integrated various artistic forms into her portfolio, including sound, video, sculpture, installation, and photography, thus showcasing the multifaceted dimensions of her creative expression.

Biography of Marina Abramović

Marina Abramović, born in 1946 in Belgrade, Serbia, currently resides and works in New York City, USA. Her early life was marked by the challenges of a strict upbringing, where her mother's discipline was often severe. Strict control over her, including curfews until the age of 29, deeply impacted her formative years.

Abramović's artistic journey began at the Academy of Fine Arts in Belgrade, where she studied from 1965 to 1970. She furthered her post-graduate studies under the tutelage of Krsto Hegedušić at the Academy of Fine Arts in Zagreb, SR Croatia, in 1972. Returning to Serbia, she taught at the Academy of Fine Arts in Novi Sad from 1973 to 1975, simultaneously launching her first solo performances.

Between 1971 and 1976, Abramović was briefly married to Neša Paripović.

In 1976, Abramović moved to Amsterdam, where she met West German performance artist Uwe Laysiepen, known as Ulay, and began a creative and romantic partnership with him. This collaboration marked a significant phase in her artistic career.

Abramović's influence extended into the realm of education as well. From 1990 to 1995, she served as a visiting professor at the Académie des Beaux-Arts in Paris and the Berlin University of the Arts. Additionally, from 1992 to 1996, she held a visiting professorship at the Hochschule für bildende Künste Hamburg. From 1997 to 2004, she assumed the role of professor for performance art at the Hochschule für bildende Künste Braunschweig.

In 2007, Marina Abramović established the Marina Abramović Institute (MAI), a non-profit foundation dedicated to the advancement of performance art.

A pivotal moment in Abramović's career was the major retrospective and performance recreation of her work held at the Museum of Modern Art from March 14 to May 31, 2010, curated by Klaus Biesenbach. This exhibition was the most extensive showcase of performance art in MoMA's history.

In 2009, Abramović featured prominently in Chiara Clemente's documentary "Our City Dreams" and an eponymous book, shedding light on her artistic journey and its impact.

Abramović's artistic collaboration with pop sensation Lady Gaga, alongside artists Jeff Koons and Robert Wilson, was exhibited at an event titled "ArtRave" in July 2013.

In 2021, she inaugurated the "Crystal Wall of Crying," a monument at the site of a Holocaust massacre in Ukraine near the Babi Yar memorials, paying homage to the victims.

In 2023, Marina Abramović achieved a historic milestone, becoming the first woman in 255 years to receive an invitation to present a solo exhibition in the main galleries of the prestigious Royal Academy.

The Rhythm Series by Marina Abramović

The "Rhythm Series" emerged following Marina Abramović's education at the Academy of Fine Arts in Belgrade and a brief exploration of sound installation. This series, spanning from 1973 to 1974, featured five distinct performances that intricately blended elements of risk, pain, and profound symbolism.

In her inaugural performance in Edinburgh in 1973, Abramović delved into the realms of ritual and gesture. Employing twenty knives and two tape recorders, she engaged in a Russian game, a daring and rhythmic act involving the precise thrusting of knives between the splayed fingers of her hand. With each self-inflicted cut, she would exchange the knife for a new one, meticulously recording the entire process. After subjecting herself to this painful ordeal twenty times, she would listen to the recorded sounds and attempt to replicate her previous actions, thereby fusing past and present experiences.

"Rhythm 0," a performance that has become one of Abramović's most renowned and challenging works, was crafted to explore the intricate dynamics between performer and audience. In this bold experiment, she assumed a passive role, allowing the audience to become the driving force behind her actions. Abramović placed 72 objects on a table, granting the audience unrestricted freedom to use these objects in any manner they chose. A sign explicitly absolved them of any responsibility for their actions. Some objects were designed to provide pleasure, while others had the potential to inflict pain or harm. Over the course of six hours, the artist allowed the audience to manipulate her body and actions without any consequences. This radical experiment probed the limits of human vulnerability and aggression when actions were devoid of social repercussions.

Works with Ulay (Uwe Laysiepen): Exploring Ego, Artistic Identity, and Transcendence

Marina Abramović and Ulay, also known as Uwe Laysiepen, embarked on a remarkable artistic partnership characterized by a profound exploration of the ego and artistic identity. Together, they conceived a unique concept, forming a collective being referred to as "The Other." They often described themselves as constituent parts of a "two-headed body." The collaborative efforts of Abramović and Ulay pushed the boundaries of the human body and delved into an array of themes, including the interplay of male and female principles, psychic energy, transcendental meditation, and nonverbal communication.

"Relation in Time" was a striking performance in which the pair sat back to back, their ponytails intricately tied together for sixteen hours. Subsequently, they permitted the audience to enter the space, testing whether the energy of the onlookers could propel them even further into the exploration of their limits.

"Breathing In/Breathing Out" was a deeply personal piece created by the two artists. In this performance, they connected their mouths and inhaled each other's exhaled breaths until the available oxygen was depleted. Nineteen minutes into the performance, they separated from each other, their lungs now filled with carbon dioxide. This piece delved into the notion of an individual's capacity to absorb the essence of another, forging an exchange that could both unite and destroy.  

In 1980, they presented "Rest Energy" at an art exhibition in Dublin. In this powerful performance, the artists balanced themselves on opposite ends of a drawn bow and arrow, with the arrow pointed directly at Abramović's heart. With minimal effort, Ulay could have ended her life with a single touch, symbolizing the dominance of men and the power imbalances within society. Notably, the handle of the bow was grasped by Abramović, pointing toward herself, adding layers of complexity to the piece. This act was a profound commentary on the roles and dynamics between genders.

Their artistic partnership reached its zenith in 1988 when Abramović and Ulay embarked on a spiritual odyssey, walking the entire length of the Great Wall of China from opposite ends. This journey, titled "Lovers," was a symbolic conclusion to their creative collaboration, marking a profound turning point in their relationship.

During her 2010 retrospective at MoMA, Abramović presented "The Artist Is Present," a performance that involved sharing moments of silence with strangers who sat in front of her. However, when Ulay made an unexpected appearance at the event, Abramović's emotional reaction to his presence was a poignant reminder of the deep and enduring connection they shared, despite the passage of time.