The PinchukArtCentre, a Kyiv center for contemporary arts, and the Marina Abramović Institute are looking for participants in Generator, a new performance by Abramović that will begin on June 16 as part of the Fragile State exhibition at the PinchukArtCentre.
Abramović is a New York-based Serbian performance artist famous for her honest – and sometimes shocking – artworks.
To apply, a candidate should be at least 18 years old, be physically able to stand for long periods of time, and be able to interact easily with the audience.
The event organizers suggest that the best applicants would be people who practice dancing, yoga, and sports, as well as those involved in theater and psychology. Knowledge and interest in history and public performance art are also a benefit.
The performance will go on for a couple of months, and participants will sometimes be involved during the weekends.
Abramović began her career in the early 1970s. Now 70 years old, she refers to herself as “the grandmother of performance art.” Her artwork explores the relationship between performer and audience, the limits of the body, and the possibilities of the mind.
The artist was awarded the Golden Lion for Best Artist at the 1997 Venice Biennale, and in 2008 received the Austrian Decoration for Science and Art for her contribution to art history.
At the beginning of her artistic career, Abramović had a frightening experience during a performance. It took place in 1974 at a gallery in her native Belgrade, Serbia.
She invited the audience to use any of 72 objects on her in any way they wanted.
“I am the object,” she said to the public. “During this period I take full responsibility.”
Available to the audience were harmless items like feathers, honey, grapes, paints, and pencils. But there were also things that could not only hurt her, but also kill: glass, knives, and a loaded pistol.
After six hours, when the performance was over, her body was covered with cuts, burns, and bruises. She said then that she was happy that she was alive, and that she had managed to show how quickly people can return to their barbarous roots.
To apply, send a CV and short motivation letter in English to [email protected] by June 5, 2017.
