Marina Abramo Lange: Pain, Blood, And Performance

Marina Abramović: Pain, Blood, and Performance “Art” is an interesting and complex term. When evaluating the subject and trying to have a general understanding of what art is, one has to have a clear awareness of basic art theory and common art-related knowledge. In a textbook, art could be described as the expression or application of human creative skill and imagination producing works to be appreciated primarily for their beauty or emotional power; it could also be bluntly described as various branches of creative activity, such as painting, music, literature, and dance. I agree with this definition to an extent—art is more than just a medium of appreciation. Art, in my opinion, is more about the message between the artist and the viewer.

Some find her works to be very intriguing while others find her work to be vulgar and obscene. To challenge the limits of the exchange between performer and audience, Abramović developed one of her most elaborate performances. She placed herself in the position of a passive character and used her audience members as the aggression aspect. She set a scene that included herself, a sign, and a table in front of her that the audience had complete access to. Placed on the table were a series of objects that could cause both pleasure and serious harm. Audience members were both expected and encouraged to use the objects on her in any way that they desired. Among these objects were a rose, a feather, honey, a whip, olive oil, scissors, a scalpel, a gun and a single bullet. For six hours the audience members were allowed, and did, manipulate her body and actions. This “tested how vulnerable and aggressive the human subject could be when hidden from social consequences”. By the end of the performance Abramović clothes were cut off of her body, she was covered with cuts and bruises, and was degraded to an image she described as the “Madonna, mother, and