Tuesday 14 October 2014

A Serbian performance artist assigned a passive role…

marina-abramovich-cropped A Serbian performance artist assigned a passive role to herself, with the public being the force which would act on her. For six hours the artist allowed the audience members to manipulate her body and actions with 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, olive oil, 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 passive) 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.”






from Crazy Facts http://ift.tt/1sHAAYo

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