Directors: Matthew Akers and Jeff Dupre
Starring: Marina Abramovic, Ulay, Klaus Biesenbach
Running Time: 106 minutes
Certificate: 15
Synopsis: A documentary that follows the Serbian performance artist as she prepares for a retrospective of her work at The Museum of Modern Art in New York.
For anyone looking at modern contemporary art, they often come away either revering the original nature of a piece or despising it. Whether this is Antony Gormley’s One & Other, where ordinary people stood on the Fourth Plinth in Trafalgar Square or Damien Hirst’s questionable shark in formaldehyde, every single piece is in the public eye and exposed to criticism. When it comes specifically to performance art, this is one that often brings up the ultimate question ‘Why is this art?’
In MARINA ABRAMOVIC: THE ARTIST IS PRESENT, we take a retrospective look at her prolific work over 40 years which consequentially leads up to a major piece of work at the Museum of Modern Art in New York. Here, Marina will sit still and silent on a chair as a live exhibition for 736-hours and 30-minutes in the museum’s atrium with a table in front of her and on the other side of the table, another chair where the public can come and sit to connect with her. The piece is called The Artist Is Present in many contexts that include the physicality of her presence but also as a literal ‘now’. You might ask what does this represent and why, Marina explains that it’s set a counterbalance to the speed of the modern world, one where you can sit, reflect and look at someone without the hassles of phones, technology or the fast paced nature of today’s existence and amazingly, it’s incredibly emotive.
The documentary talks us through her life and her relationship with Ulay (his full name is Uwe Laysiepen), a man who played a massive part in her history both personally and artistically. The two were inseparable from 1976 to 1989 in the invention of new works and especially as both of them were strikingly committed to exploring the ego and artistic identity. They became a ‘two-headed body’ and were entwined with every statement, whether this be diving into worlds of extreme consciousness or to the point of literally making each other pass out with a lack of oxygen. This level of commitment, from an outside perspective, may look a little insane but when you discover their backgrounds, especially Marina’s, you begin to understand where they work comes from and the sacrifices they’ve given for their art.
MARINA ABRAMOVIC: THE ARTIST IS PRESENT is a wholly different experience to what I initially expected, she’s often been an artist of extremes but it takes a while to really appreciate the levels of inventiveness and originality. Like a method actor or the clichéd picture of a secluded painter, the documentary reveals her absolute focus on her art work and how she approaches it like any other art form. Marina is a genius who pushes her talent beyond a usual and comprehensive understanding. Highly compelling, beautifully insightful, THE ARTIST IS PRESENT will truly open your eyes to a just-as-important alternative reality.
MARINA ABRAMOVIC: THE ARTIST IS PRESENT is available to buy now on Dogwoof. There are also screenings across the UK currently and the information can also be found on the Dogwoof website.
For more information on MoMA just click here.
