The Shocking Life & Performance Art of Marina Abramović (Part 3)

Within the realms of performance art, Marina Abramović is undoubtedly one of the most celebrated and controversial female artists yet known. Her work has captivated and shocked many for its intensity, its rawness, and its willingness to push the boundaries of human endurance.
Although she began her career as a painter, in time she would turn her attention to performance art in the early 1970s where she would start exploring themes of the body, pain, and trauma. She often put herself in extreme physical and emotional states, testing the limits of what her body and mind could withstand, as well as how the viewing public would interact.
Over the years, Abramović has continued to create challenging and innovative work. She has performed in some of the world's most prestigious museums and galleries, and her work has been featured in numerous films and documentaries and continues to do so to this day.
In this video, we will be taking an intimate look at Abramović's life from her early childhood to the woman she is today. As well discussing her work from the rarely-heard-of to her most infamous, in hopes to understand what drives her to create such extreme and challenging art.
Just how exactly has Marina Abramović become such a complex and fascinating figure? How did she become a pioneer in the field of performance art, and how has her work challenged and inspired audiences for decades?
This is the story and performance art of Marina Abramović.
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Artist Corner:
Today’s featured artist is an experimental photographer who goes by the name of Rocco, from Algeria in Africa. Please check out more of his work on Instagram! - / rocco_hanako
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Music:
Take Off and Shoot a Zero by Chris Zabriskie is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 licence. creativecommon...
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Artist: chriszabriskie....

[@watermelonpuddingg]

This has been one of my favourite series ever, thank you for continuing it

[@blacksunshine7122]

Same here.

[@khatmandont]

i find it difficult to share my love of performance art with the people closest to me; often they describe it as pretentious, opaque, elitist, when I feel the exact opposite! So much of Abramovic's work, especially her most poignant pieces, are done with the simplest of household objects, or with a single other person, or completely alone, expressing some of the most common themes of humanity. Thank you so much for this retrospective, it was so well written and I've utterly adored your perspective

[@rubydown3329]

Honestly i used to think performance art was just edgy BS, but this series from has shifted my perspective. Still not my thing, but i respect it more now

[@TomJones-op9nj]

I hear you …..I feel the same….art is art ….you don’t need to see beauty you don’t need to feel a certain way …but you do need to feel something …..I think that is the goal of performance art ….to make you feel something …

[@SirNecro]

Interestingly, it has strengthened my position that she is just an attention seeking pretentious edgelord.

[@k.h.7575]

This is some of the most powerful I have ever seen. She is not only an artist, but a healer, a transformer...

[@sallythechaos3991]

Optimus Prime

[@andrewnorris2]

Whether you like her, loath her, are mystified by her work or understand her motives I cannot help but admire an artist who has a vision however strange or hostile the public reaction might be that they stick to that vision and explore it to such a profound level. Some works left me cold but others had me in tears and I don't really understand why. Perhaps that is the nature of art. When one is confronted by a sense of authenticity one can simply be moved. Thank you for these three documentaries.

[@KosmicznaPluskwa]

Just incredible work on this documentary, thank you! I knew the walk along the Great Wall of China, Lovers, was the final project ending Marina's and Ulay's relationship, but had no idea it was initially intended to be culminated in their wedding; the whole delay going for so long as to reach the end of their relationship instead feels almost as if part of the whole performance itself; I don't know if I'm explaining it well but with how nuanced and often bittersweet their collaborative ideas were, to simply organize it, walk and marry feels almost too ... positive and hopeful? And knowing this idea was with them all this time, going along with them and morphing from this hopeful "we found each other" to "we walk alone" conclusion just seems so well fitting with their body of art.

[@stevesmith5883]

Glad to see from the comments that this series has brought others to Marina's work. I've been an admirer/appreciater of hers for a while now, culminating mostly last year when I attended both her Royal Academy exhibition and attended a live piece of hers on december 11th 2023 also at the royal academy london. I think there's a spiritual wisdom to her that is well worth looking into and applying in whatever ways you feel fit to personal life. She's also the reason I am thinking of jumping into the world of performance art myself, I've written some proposals down and now it's just a matter of finding a space to perform them!

[@stevesmith5883]

Also, this channel is amazing btw, found it recently whilst verociously consuming Marina related content (autistic hyperfixation be like that) but looked through the other videos and found one's about other artists I like and many more I either hadn't heard about or didn't know much about and have since binged a lot of the content. Great channel featuring some amazing art!

[@sky44david]

This 3 part series is the best most detailed understanding of Marina Abramovic's grand expansive visions. Art as cultural force is the impact that she has made beyond limits.

[@Liahs333]

I’m glad you didn’t entertain the ridiculous conspiracies. This lady is one of a kind and impossible to put in any box. Bravo to her.

[@stevesmith5883]

Yeah, it's annoying to see at least a few comments calling her evil and such on basically every video/post surrounding her. I've been to a live performance of hers recently (a small peice called "An Invitation to Love Unconditionally" held in London on december 11th 2023). The energy and feeling there was the complete opposite of anything "evil", and left me feeling amazing and positive for a good while after and prompting me to take up the Abramovic method and other meditation in my personal life. She's a truly unique artist and person and well worth looking into for any interested imo, there's a wisdom to her works that is well worth hearing.

[@Liahs333]

@@stevesmith5883 How awesome you were able to experience that. When life becomes boring and predictable I think we lose as a species. I agree, she baffles me but I like that.

[@stevesmith5883]

@@Liahs333 Exactly, the best moments of life are when things are interesting and unique not when your just drudging through the days. And yeah a lot of good art can be confusing at first. I'm into poetry myself as both writer and reader and love it when presented with a poem that completely baffles me on the first read. Performance need be no different, even as an appreciator of a lot of her work, there are some peices I don't fully "get" such as Rhythm 2 where she took the pills with opposing effect.

[@sarahallegra6239]

Thank you for this excellent series! Although I don’t really love performance art as a whole, I really have to admire what Abromovic creates.

[@blacksunshine7122]

Beautiful work here. I had to hold back the tears. She is so stunning. I think she’s in her 70s.

[@luluconacolo2729]

So glad to see this finally wrap up, it really was such a cool experience. You did an incredible job at conveying the sheer emotion that went into all of these performances, so much so i spent half of this video a little choked up a little teary eyed. Most of these performances are barely talked about too, despite how incredible they were! Just loved this documentary.

[@JohnInTheShelter]

Looking forward to consuming this later on. Your videos are always some of the best, most entertaining on YT. I never knew Abramovic's work until your series.

[@CINEMARTYR]

Loved this series. Really inspiring/insightful. Thank you for this. …man those crystal shoes looked ridiculous.

[@BlindDweller]

Thank you! And yeah the crystal shoes are an...interesting idea, to say the least lol

[@sisterseeth]

To me, her main assertion beyond any objective or philosophical medium, is that art is YOU, as corny as that may sound. You are the thing that changes as you express the things you've taken in. We are so conditioned to think that it's the receiving of phenomenon, whether in suffering or joy, that constitute the dimensions of our character and ability to evolve the clarity of the landscape of our reality. But, it's the landscape of our reality which acts as the universally unique lens though which we pour into the world, something it could have never otherwise witnessed. Even the genius Marshall McLuhan famously stated (and titled his great book) "The Medium is the Message" - meaning that the human novelty we create through our more-or-less creative meanderings is what evolves us, both individually, and as a collective. I even had this quote on a t-shirt, and I lived by this statement for nearly 30 years...until an old woman in a rocking chair with rotting teeth, and possibly a tad insane, randomly said to me in a low tone as though it weren't profound, ""A man who thought himself very wise liked to say, "the medium is the message', but that is not true! YOU are the message!"" And of course, she was right, and she changed my entire life. I'd never met her before, and surely she's dead by now, and it's hard not to feel superstitious about it, because she'd been talking about something else entirely until I passed by...she said it TO me....but at that moment, I realized that the things we express...the color of our outfits, the surges of inspiration, the way we have to let loved-ones hurt themselves...all of these little works of art magic, aren't the art, at all. If we believe that we have to struggle and toil in order to assemble the right tool in order to finally have the means to be overtly and radically honest, we will continue to search for that tool forever, collecting and clinging to little bits of scraps that betray their true value in time. It's the pure expression made possible from the joining of knowledge and worth of the self that's first unleashed, which assembles the tool for it to be borne into this reality for witnessing. It has to be so, because you've created a void with that expression that, in the infinite expanse of space and time, has never been before, and can never be again in exactly the same way. The tool that comes depends entirely on the precise and eternally unique schematic of that void you've created...but the tool comes simply as a law of nature and was inevitable from the moment you released the highly nutritious expression to the world (because newness IS deeply nutritious)...but, as nutritious as it may be, it is not art and, frankly, it's not even really that interesting compared to the one who summoned and constructed its arrival. The artist summons the tools that build shelter for the traumatized, constipated, and withdrawn collective consciousness. I've watched many of Marina's exhibitions on film, and I'm always touched to see that she is obviously not doing it for anyone who is watching. She is living art, and mercurially evolves moment to moment the way most would perhaps take years to adjust to...she is doing it for the ecstasy of change and creation, and in honor of the person she's becoming because of it. She's not doing it for charity because her expressions should be so transformative for witnesses (although that does often occur). This is my entire passion in life. I have a tattoo (and rings, and shirts, and art, and necklaces lol) depicting a tarot card called The Tower. Now, on the rare occasion that I come across someone familiar with the symbolism of tarot, they inevitably wince with a sour look on their face when The Tower comes up in conversation. It is a regal, tall tower that's on fire and is in free-fall, with horrified people jumping out in hopes of surviving the fall. Every treasure and cherished physical thing within it will turn to dust, and all the pain and joy that was poured into those finite mental crutches, are soon to evaporate and nobody, for the rest of time, will ever know all of those feelings that existed for structure that must now be abandoned. It can symbolically be compared to a massive forest fire that causes chaos and upheaval for all that depended on it, but the carbon and sulfur released into the soil ensures that the forest will grow from its suffering and become more lush than ever before. The older I get, the more I believe I've become a joyful masochist. When I see pain coming, I become excited alongside nervous...I now agree to do very painful things, like caring for my mother entirely during the last 6 months of her life, rather than sending her off to hospice to die alone. I run towards pain now, because I know that on the other side, the person I will transform into won't even recognize the weak and blind person I am now. This is why most tarot students hate to see The Tower...it means change; it means the purging of the things you hold on to for dear life; the things you've deceived yourself into accepting as substitutes for actual fulfillment. People who get angry about being wrong, care more for being right, than they do about becoming better. I love to be wrong; it means the opportunity to be righted is here, at last! I love when someone says "I don't know" SO much!...I love the honesty and recognition that it's far better to have a lack of understanding than to spend your life cramming your hollow insight with empty calorie, unrooted, meaningless cultural phrases of the week, just so you can get through another day without despising the fraudulent content of your character that's felt just behind your lips as you spew your little collection of Monopoly money treasures on anyone willing to pretend along with you, that this is evidence of your alignment with truth. "A full cup is never filled" right? If you're empty, say it. Tell everyone. Tell yourself. Self-deception is a defense mechanism from self-loathing, so be brave and carry that honest Nothing around like a newly sprouting appendage, and you absolutely will be filled with meaning and authentic creation, and the realization of your worth borne from those things will suddenly heal all wounds, and all future wounds in advance. I'm not intending to be preachy here, as I'm talking to nobody in particular, only that these are the exact nuances that I see throughout Marina's entire living philosophy. I don't think I'm clever enough to be projecting that degree of intricacy on her life's work. She's among the last true artists to remind us that a cold, indifferent, digital means of expression that threatens to consume us all in a single bite, is not expression...it's consumption and repetition, which just so happens to be the two dark horsemen of the creative human apocalypse. This is why she's called a witch and occultist...because sadly, to many, many people, the sight of someone BEING art rather than only consuming it from others through a glowing, glass screen like vicarious, yuppie vampires, must look like an act of hyperdimensional magic so fundamentally foreign to them, that its power could only be being funneled to this poor, mortal wench from some cosmic, archetypal, demiurge. And that's pretty much where we are as a species. Cheers!

[@Am_Brew]

Thank you and we appreciate your efforts in this series and other works.

[@youmightstumble]

This was an amazing series, thank you so much! I also had the immense pleasure to see the restrospective at the Royal Academy of Arts, and it left a profound impression on me. I find it very interesting how differently visitors are impacted by the various exhibits. Your favourite room was Balkan Baroque, mine definitely was The Artist is Present. It was the very first room I entered and I immediately teared up because of the raw emotion you could see in the faces on the screens. I will think of this retrospective for a long time. Your video series truly came at the perfect moment.

[@kevint6922]

Your probably one of the best creators out there man, cant wait for the next vid!

[@portpiraya5758]

I think this is very interesting. I must admit that I as a christian have thought she was a satanist and everything like that. I think you put an interesting light on her performances and know i don´t despise her anymore but instead think she is a really interesting artist, although i don´t like everything she does, i believe that she has made some works that are really interesting and noteworthy.

[@BlindDweller]

Hey Port! Yep, there's no way she would walk through the art world completely unscathed from valid concerns and criticisms given her type of art. That's why sometimes I roll my eyes when she complains about it lol Like what does she expect? But having said that, if it wasn't her, it would be someone else eventually. You can't knock her for being bold in her creativity. I don't think I'll ever consider myself a hardcore fan of hers, but she's fascinating nonetheless.

[@portpiraya5758]

@@BlindDweller : Haha i believe that she wants conspiracy theories to be created around her works sometimes. ;)

[@arafanyambura3150]

You are a Christian?

[@mawanabuller7383]

She IS a satanist.

[@Andyanddiana467]

As an American, I love how she's driven the Right-Wing weirdos crazy.

[@speakertreatz]

Thanks very much for uploading this series, I especially enjoyed this last one and your perspective on her.

[@aaron_osborne]

Marina is an interesting talent beyond belief. For the future another artist can appear as an interview type idea like you did with Laurie Lipton. Hearing that Marina had limits with Hermann is shocking especially after Rhythm 5 and the fire star she crafted.

[@mrd5024]

You channel is a gem.

[@vinnygothika7510]

Watching your infographics on artists, and different art always leaves me inspired in ways I can't always put into artwork, but that's not a bad thing. Edit: I really like 'Cleaning the Mirror' honestly. It's an interesting concept..... Also her work on the war with the bones is heavy... It hits hard, it's heartbreaking, and it truly has weight, even now. Thank you Dweller for your input too on drama and conspiracy theories with artists, this should just be about the art, people that want to go on and on about the drama need to go elsewhere.

[@Sandra-hc4vo]

to me while emotionally i don't feel akin to the choices, i think of her as somewhat similar to the yogis that i have heard tell of in terms of her abilities to push boundaries and face death in a number of ways. and so i feel a deep respect towards her and her accomplishments. also they are studies into life that we all learn from as well.

[@jnicole510]

I thoroughly enjoy how all her pieces show how much empathy or lack thereof the audience has

[@brenandbruiser9885]

Thank you for not giving any fuel to the satanist/witch gossip. And a deep dive into an incredible woman

[@mrsclark78]

I loved this ❤️ thank you for it

[@ariluvsthemusic]

your videos are awesome, and all your effort is much appreciated! this has been a fascinating series :) keep it up

[@flyingsporemonster]

YES KING!!! some of your best work

[@mritzs5142]

The ultimate exhibitionist and really good at it

[@ray-mc-l]

Love your videos! Thanks! :)

[@catflowerlove735]

Aww shes a beautiful Scorpo woman, I love her

[@felixdiez1642]

Wow! What an artist! Thank you for the documental. !

[@MegadoseTheOutsiderArtist]

This was an amazing video series! I felt so much emotion with the bloody bones..... Wow 😮😳. She reminds me of Tracy Emin! PS, you really should do a video on Alice Neel! She painted the zeitgeist of people.... And I felt the same emotions from her paintings as I did with the bloody bones.... I'm sorry I'm a nag about Alice Neel! 😬

[@xxxxxxxxx08]

woah this the longest one yet i'm very thrilled to hear about some more odd performance art

[@stormseas]

so excited for this !!

[@shoobzy3431]

Almost 2am and i get hit with a banging 1 hour video, guess I'll sleep at 3am 🗿

[@noahh2338]

Great series, great artist..❤

[@ASolzhenitsyn]

Since you have been showcasing more extreme performance art, might I suggest Bob Flanagan?

[@SleazyRoseWalker]

I'm not familiar with performance art that much, but this sure was an interesting watch. Also, love the mixed reactions in the comments lol. It's either "love her art!" or "what nonsense this is"

[@missyfaulker3797]

Thank You! Very interesting from 1 to 3!

[@Aogoosto]

The human conscience is a judge of itself, born to choose between "yes" and "no". Art is a form of freedom for this judge.

[@regzlots]

as someone really interested in performance art, but am unfamiliar with the Scene, have you covered any other performance artists? i would love for you to do more of them!!

[@IDEKaaaaaaaagh]

Another amazing video.

[@mijiyoon5575]

*Blind Dweller* take all the time YOU need ... never burn yourself out for YT

[@Neti-Netti]

So interesting her views and performances about humans

[@poemsofplupp]

Blind Dweller's little laugh around 18:33 ❤

[@AwareWolfOnWheels]

In a sea of trashy, AI generated, shallow content you stand out above all on KZbin and I thoroughly enjoy everything you make. Labels are unimportant, content and intent is truth.

[@LeoRising0416]

Thank you

[@AnthonyStewart-e8z]

Hey 👁️🖤these I particularly love your tea and crumpets tone 🤣 👁️🖤🎨‼️ Im learning alot This is my second doc, which i really like. Marina is ((🤔))

[@maryfreegirl2029]

Wouldn't last two seconds at the staring piece, i would probably break down crying in an instant

[@carlcreations2613]

You should cover Louis Wain

[@stanislavkorniienko1523]

Thank you for this great video❤❤❤

[@NoraFjorden]

I dont like most of her art, but think she is a very interesting person. Deff inspirational

[@damonr-fk5rp]

Hey man, you don't have to justify finding any particular artist fascinating to talk about.

[@themysteriousdomainmoviepalace]

I tried. This stuff is horrible or downright stupid, I can't handle it. As always, you narration is mesmerizing.

[@nikkishaye1111]

Oh my morbid curiosity.......hand to God i just poured some Holy Water on my screen.

[@ruffmeow9893]

I did a few of these things last weekend

[@morganniciomhair8284]

Just subscribed.Thank you for non sensalionist view of this artist.If you had gotten into the conspiracy American rabbit hole,I would have checked out.Gracias.

[@alpotap]

2/3 of people I follow are based on your recommendations!

[@imaspoon4522]

Did I see Willem Dafoe and a snake, or do I need a nap?

[@BlindDweller]

That's him alright!

[@imaspoon4522]

@@BlindDweller Now that's a performance I would like to see. I love that guy.

[@birchwwolf]

47:05 the top result on this site for "ulay artist is present" is a video of this moment, if anyone would like to see it. Also, the MoMA has a Flickr gallery of every single headshot of the sitters, in order. Ulay is listed simply as "Day 1, Portrait 3" (Michael Stipe of R.E.M. may be the final celebrity, and is Day 71, Portrait 40.)

[@0therun1t21]

I wonder what happened to her portfolio, I hope it was saved and treasured by someone. Imagine finding such a partner, it's a dream come true. It's ok and natural they drifted apart, what they had was incredible. I can't help but respect her. Oh god 47:18!

[@basrahg.250]

Thank you so much 🙌 What a good vid 👏 كنت أبحث عن شخص يتكلم عن هذة الشخصية المجرمة واختلاطها بالعديد من المشاهير العالمين.

[@heekyungkim8147]

This woman scares me.

[@EndingSimple]

Say what you will about her other work, the Wall Walk was an achievement. Not many people can do something like that. ... You just know that something called 'Spirit Cooking" showing up in an email to a Democratic campaign manager is going to have interesting things happen to it in the poop-flinging festival we Americans call a Presidential election. But I do wonder what exactly she mean it to mean. what exactly is a "Spirit Cooking" dinner. What takes place?

[@scooby13s]

CHARLES BRONSON VIDEO PLEASE

[@mathieuleader8601]

ooh nice going in a different direction

[@jayeautocorrectstohate5054]

Couldn’t find Rocco.

[@rimbaudscoffee3541]

If we're exploring performance art, you have to talk about Olivier de Sagazan.

[@AnthonyStewart-e8z]

Awrite Rocco👍

[@tinmanakapetscop2guy85]

His work is soo weird can't believe it's photos?

[@lightfaeries7]

Oh born a scorpio i rest my case

[@jnicole510]

1:27 marina makes me uncomfortable in a very enjoyable way

[@mijiyoon5575]

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

[@shadowl.dragmire8531]

Now I still am not a fan of performance art and as I said on one of the past videos I find a large part of her early work as just public masochism over art like most of the edgy BS I relate to performance art but her late work they they have meaning those are beautiful those are art.

[@budoolove5887]

Look into her boys james alefantis and John poedesta and the type of 'ART' that they like. It'll make you SICK.

[@SPARTAN085B]

These people sound insufferable. Theres no art in self *arm.

[@partmluvr]

i think you just lack depth.

[@montolonzo3836]

its not performance its straight up occult ritual

[@SinCityYetiArt]

Ooo, tell me more! Keep spewing out your word vomit as if you're someone whose opinion actually matters in the grand scheme of things. Together with your superiority complex and me egging you on, we can boost Blind Dwellers Engagement and get this video out to more people. 😁

[@lightfaeries7]

She was messed up af and of the darkness

[@ashleys9397]

This is some of the silliest nonsense I've ever watched.

[@montolonzo3836]

vile

[@right-7366]

All glory to God the most high Allah only

[@rajesh.x]

😂😂😂👎

[@Booli......614]

Im still in shock that I haven't heard of her before these documentaries??? I now consistently think about her and her work Thank you for introducing me 🩷

[@sarahb6529]

A million out of 10 for your three part series on Marinas life and body of work. I was looking to find something to send to another artist about her work but instead I've sat here and watched the whole thing (also subbed). Thank you so much for making this.

[@psyche1988]

3 parts on this hack of a woman ? lmao, performance art is a joke !

[@SinCityYetiArt]

Lol and she's probably more successful than you'll ever be! 🤣 So what would that make your life? 😂😂😂