An artist has explained why she takes such extreme actions in the name of art. Many may wonder why someone would place a gun and knives on a table and invite strangers to use them on their body, but for Marina Abramovic, a renowned Serbian performance artist, these acts have a deeper meaning. If you’re unfamiliar with Abramovic, this insight into her work might pique your curiosity about the 77-year-old’s bold approach to art.
In 1974, at age 26, Abramovic staged a performance in Naples, Italy, where she invited the audience to do anything they wished to her, taking “full responsibility” for their actions—even expressing that she was “ready to die” for her art.
The performance, titled Rhythm 0, took place from 8:00 PM to 2:00 AM. During the event, audience members ripped off her clothes, cvt her throat, and at one point, someone held a loaded gun to her head, placing her fingers on the trigger.
While this might seem extreme to most, the performance gained global attention and is regarded as one of the most influential pieces of performance art. But what drives her to take such rad!cal steps in her work?
In an interview with the Royal Academy, Abramovic explained, “If there’s something I would like to do, I don’t do it. I only pursue activities that scare me because that’s the whole point. If we always stick to what we like, we fall into the same patterns, making the same mistakes, and never exploring the unknown.”
Reflecting on her reaction to the concept for The Artist is Present, she recalled, “I thought, ‘Oh my god, I’m crazy. How can I do this for three months?’ But then I became obsessed, and it was so difficult.”
She added, “It was a supernatural experience—sitting in front of thousands of different people, eight hours a day, for three months. Some days I thought I couldn’t go on. But I did, driven by sheer fear.”
Abramovic also remarked, “The Artist is Present was my opportunity to show the transformative power of performance art by essentially doing nothing—just being there and being seen. People began camping outside the museum, waiting for hours to witness the work. It attracted 850,000 visitors, setting records for a living artist, all through simply being still, the calm center of a storm.”