IN CONVERSATION WITH MARINA ABRAMOVIĆ

interview by AÏCHA PILMEYER

From March 16th to July 14th, STEDELIJK MUSEUM AMSTERDAM invites you to explore a compelling body of work from MARINA ABRAMOVIĆ: over 60 key works spanning five decades, including archive footage, photos, videos, sculptures, and live re-performances. 

ABRAMOVIĆ grew up in a strict Yugoslavian household, shaped by discipline and militaristic rules. She painted dreams to escape reality but soon discovered the limitations of two-dimensional art. Experiments with shadows and sound guided her into finding her true medium, her own body. Relentlessly pushing herself to physical and mental limits, ABRAMOVIĆ revolutionized performance art, leaving an enduring mark that continues to inspire and reshape artistic boundaries. At 29, she escaped her strict household and arrived in Amsterdam with just a few belongings. Now, the city where she found freedom will feature her solo exhibition. 

READ FULL INTERVIEW IN OUR #10 ISSUE
PRE-ORDER HERE

At 3 pm Dutch time, Marina appears on my screen sipping tea at her snowy Upstate New York home. A relaxed atmosphere sets in, and we engage in some small talk but MARINA quickly gets down to business. 

MARINA ABRAMOVIĆ: Let’s start. 

AÏCHA PILMEYER: Absolutely! 

I read in your biography that your grandma had a big influence on your early life…
My grandmother was my anchor. My parents were busy and focused on their careers. My life with them was all about discipline and control. It was challenging. But my grandmother was warm and loving and provided the emotional stability I needed. We’d sit in the kitchen discussing dreams and life, which was wonderful. She was very religious, holding on to rituals and superstitions. I remember a piece I made, called Rhythm 5, where I cut and burned my hair and face. I looked like hell. The next morning, my grandma saw me. She thought she saw the devil, dropped the breakfast tray on the floor, screamed, and ran away. 

How does it feel to bring this exhibition to Amsterdam, a place where you first found freedom, love and grew as an artist? 
It’s wonderful. I’ve already had an exhibition with ULAY at the Stedelijk called “The Lovers — The Great Wall Walk” in ‘89. After that, ULAY had his solo show, “Ulay Was Here,” during COVID. And now I have my solo show. So, to me, it’s all coming back on a big scale. I’m looking forward to seeing some elements from the pieces we made in Amsterdam. ULAY and I lived there for a while, and it’s just emotional coming back here and seeing all my friends that I have not seen for years. 

What did all these years of being an artist traveling the world, meeting and teaching people and seeing so many different cultures teach you? 
When I was around 14 or 15, there was this Hungarian anthropologist named TIBOR SEKELJ. He would spend a year exploring different continents and civilizations, from Papua New Guinea to the San Far Islands, and even talking to excannibals. After each journey, he would return to the cultural center (SKC) in Belgrado and share his experiences through images, stories, and films. I vividly recall sitting in the front row, eating every word he said. It was from there on I knew that I needed to travel, see different countries, experience diverse cultures, and learn from them—it became a lifelong fascination for me. 

As soon as I escaped Belgrado we started to travel together. First, we visited the Tibetans, then India, and later lived with the Aboriginals in central Australia. We went to the deserts, to places where there was no COCA-COLA and no electricity. We would stay there, not to be a tourist but to integrate. It was really important to learn from the people and their cultures. In Jaisalmer, bordering Pakistan in the Thar Desert, we spent three months living with camel herders in clay houses. It was truly a dream time for me. I realised that my childhood dream of integrating with cultures could also be part of my artistic work. 

(…)
READ FULL INTERVIEW IN OUR #10 ISSUE
PRE-ORDER HERE

TEAM CREDITS:
talent MARINA ABRAMOVIĆ
photography and creative direction FILIP KOLUDROVIC
styling JOY SINANIAN
makeup JIMMY STAM
hair ILHAM MESTOUR using Balmain Hair
producer MARIA MOTA
set design GINI GROOTENBOER
set design assistant ALLARD DERKSEN
photography assistant JAANE JAIN
casting TIMOTEJ LETONJA
interview AÏCHA PILMEYER
cover design ARTHUR ROELOFFZEN