Conceptual Art
Performance Art / Body Art
A description read:
MARINA ABRAMOVIĆ “There are 72 objects on the table that one
Serbia can use on me as desired.”
Born 1947- “I am the object. During this period I take
full responsibility.”
She took on a passive role, completely
giving up control, with the public being
the force that would act on her.
The spectators became collaborators,
rather than passive observers.
This work opened up a discussion about
the responsibility of the audience and
how they would use their power, when
there are no social consequences to their
actions.
72 Chosen Objects
Marina Abramović, Rhythm 0, 1947
Rhythm 0 was a six-hour work of
performance art by Marina Abramović.
The work involved Abramović standing still
while the audience was invited to do to her
whatever they desired, using any of the
72 objects she had placed on a table.
The performance that took place at
Some of the objects she put out could
Studio Morra, a gallery in Naples.
give pleasure, while others could cause
pain or harm. Among them were a rose, a
feather, honey, perfume, flute, spoon, a
whip, olive oil, scissors, a scalpel, salt,
medal, a gun and a single bullet.
For six hours the artist allowed the
audience members to manipulate her
body and actions.
1
, Many items could be used in a way that
was neutral, pleasurable, or at least not
harmful to the artist. By asking the
audience to actively engage in the work,
the performance piece questioned the
sense of responsibility of the viewers.
The work questions human behaviour and
our capacity for violence. It tested how far
people would push the boundaries when
given complete freedom, with no social
consequences. But then, “it became more and more wild”
as the public became increasingly
How far would people go when given a aggressive.
submissive subject?
o After three hours most of
Abramović’s clothes were cut off
Shocking with razor sharp blades.
o “Someone used a knife to cut her
neck and drink her blood.
o She was sexually assaulted during
the performance
o carried around half-naked
o put on a table
o and a knife was stabbed into the
wood of the table between her
legs.
Some male onlookers laughed during the
The performance “began tamely. Someone performance, and she just stood silently
turned her around. Another person thrust and cried. Others wiped her tears and
her arm into the air. They were gentle, tried to intervene.
placing a rose in her hand, kissing her and
feeding her cake. Someone else touched As the performance became increasingly
her somewhat intimately.” wild, a group who disapproved formed a
horrified collective. It wasn’t just
Abramović against the audience, but her
facing an audience who was now divided
into two factions.
o “When a loaded gun was thrust to
Marina’s head and her own finger
was being worked around the
trigger, a fight broke out between
the audience factions.”
2
Performance Art / Body Art
A description read:
MARINA ABRAMOVIĆ “There are 72 objects on the table that one
Serbia can use on me as desired.”
Born 1947- “I am the object. During this period I take
full responsibility.”
She took on a passive role, completely
giving up control, with the public being
the force that would act on her.
The spectators became collaborators,
rather than passive observers.
This work opened up a discussion about
the responsibility of the audience and
how they would use their power, when
there are no social consequences to their
actions.
72 Chosen Objects
Marina Abramović, Rhythm 0, 1947
Rhythm 0 was a six-hour work of
performance art by Marina Abramović.
The work involved Abramović standing still
while the audience was invited to do to her
whatever they desired, using any of the
72 objects she had placed on a table.
The performance that took place at
Some of the objects she put out could
Studio Morra, a gallery in Naples.
give pleasure, while others could cause
pain or harm. Among them were a rose, a
feather, honey, perfume, flute, spoon, a
whip, olive oil, scissors, a scalpel, salt,
medal, a gun and a single bullet.
For six hours the artist allowed the
audience members to manipulate her
body and actions.
1
, Many items could be used in a way that
was neutral, pleasurable, or at least not
harmful to the artist. By asking the
audience to actively engage in the work,
the performance piece questioned the
sense of responsibility of the viewers.
The work questions human behaviour and
our capacity for violence. It tested how far
people would push the boundaries when
given complete freedom, with no social
consequences. But then, “it became more and more wild”
as the public became increasingly
How far would people go when given a aggressive.
submissive subject?
o After three hours most of
Abramović’s clothes were cut off
Shocking with razor sharp blades.
o “Someone used a knife to cut her
neck and drink her blood.
o She was sexually assaulted during
the performance
o carried around half-naked
o put on a table
o and a knife was stabbed into the
wood of the table between her
legs.
Some male onlookers laughed during the
The performance “began tamely. Someone performance, and she just stood silently
turned her around. Another person thrust and cried. Others wiped her tears and
her arm into the air. They were gentle, tried to intervene.
placing a rose in her hand, kissing her and
feeding her cake. Someone else touched As the performance became increasingly
her somewhat intimately.” wild, a group who disapproved formed a
horrified collective. It wasn’t just
Abramović against the audience, but her
facing an audience who was now divided
into two factions.
o “When a loaded gun was thrust to
Marina’s head and her own finger
was being worked around the
trigger, a fight broke out between
the audience factions.”
2
