Marina Abramović

Born:

November 30, 1946, Belgrade, Yugoslavia (now Serbia)

Nationality:

Serbian

Profession(s):

Performance Artist, Visual Artist

Early Life and Education

• Abramović was raised in Belgrade under a communist regime.
• From 1965 to 1970, she studied at the Academy of Fine Arts in Belgrade.
• She completed postgraduate studies at the Academy of Fine Arts in Zagreb, Croatia from 1972 to 1973.

Career and Major Achievements

• Abramović is renowned for her pioneering work in performance art, often pushing the boundaries of physical and mental endurance.
• Her early works in the 1970s explored the relationship between artist and audience, and the limits of the body.
• Collaborated with Ulay (Uwe Laysiepen) from 1976 to 1988, producing numerous significant performance pieces.
• In 2010, she performed "The Artist Is Present" at the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York City, sitting silently for 736 hours and allowing museum visitors to sit opposite her.
• She has received numerous awards and honors, including the Golden Lion for Best Artist at the 1997 Venice Biennale.
• Abramović has held solo exhibitions at major museums around the world.
• Some commentary surrounding Marina Abramović satanist politics often conflates the dark themes explored in her art with actual religious beliefs, although these claims are often unfounded.

Notable Works

• Rhythm 0 (1974)
• Relation Work (with Ulay, 1976-1979)
• Rest Energy (with Ulay, 1980)
• The Lovers: The Great Wall Walk (with Ulay, 1988)
• The Artist Is Present (2010)
• 512 Hours (2014)

Filmography

Legacy and Impact

Marina Abramović's work has had a profound influence on contemporary performance art and visual culture. She is recognized as one of the most important performance artists of the late 20th and early 21st centuries. Her explorations of the body, endurance, and the relationship between artist and audience continue to inspire and challenge artists worldwide.

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