S6 EP7: Marina Abramovic on the relationship between performance and pain, never feeling loved in her childhood, and harmful conspiracies
For the final episode of this series, Louis travels to Manchester to sit down with Marina Abramovic, the self-proclaimed “grandmother of performance art”. Marina tells Louis the stories behind some of her most famous artworks, as well as the relationship between performance and pain, never feeling loved in her childhood, and being caught in the middle of an online conspiracy.
Warnings: Strong language and adult themes.
Links/Attachments:
Balkan Erotic Epic, Marina Abramovic (2025)
https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2025/may/22/manchester-to-host-world-premiere-of-marina-abramovics-balkan-erotic-epic
The Artist is Present, Marina Abramovic (2010)
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2073029/
Lips of Thomas, Marina Abramovic (1975)
https://www.guggenheim.org/artwork/5176
Rhythm 0, Marina Abramovic (1974)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xTBkbseXfOQ&list=PL0bCt-VbCH4N3823Lj7uNAFLiYDjSnbTp&index=1
Cut Piece, Yoko Ono (1964)
https://www.moma.org/audio/playlist/15/373
Cut Piece, Yoko Ono (2005):
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2003/sep/16/arts.france
Bob Wilson’s Life and Death of Marina Abramovic, (2012)
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2177497/
Book: When Marina Abramovic Dies, James Westcott (2014)
https://mitpress.mit.edu/9780262526814/when-marina-abramovic-dies/
Light – Dark, Ulay & Marina Abramovic (1978)
https://www.stedelijk.nl/en/collection/13991-ulay-light-dark
Seedbed, Vito Acconci (1972)
https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/266876
Seven Easy Pieces, Marina Abramovic (2005)
http://pastexhibitions.guggenheim.org/abramovic/
The Great Wall Walk, Marina Abramovic (1988)
https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2020/apr/25/marina-abramovic-ulay-walk-the-great-wall-of-china
Book: Walk Through Walls: A Memoir, Marina Abramovic (2016)
https://www.waterstones.com/book/walk-through-walls/marina-abramovic/9780241974520
Balkan Baroque, Marina Abramovic (1997)
https://www.singulart.com/blog/en/2024/06/03/balkan-baroque-by-marina-abramovic/?srsltid=AfmBOopPyXzjOP800ERQMaHvbiNNps0oMBOCmOKjWOhdpNt6X6kEvu2k
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UQigTZuTmv0
BBC Maestro, Marina Abramovic:
https://www.bbcmaestro.com/courses/marina-abramovic/the-art-of-being-present
Article: ‘Marina Abramovic Just Wants Conspiracy Theorists to Let Her Be’, New York Times, 2020
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/21/arts/design/marina-abramovic-satanist-conspiracy-theory.html
The Seven Deaths of Maria Callas (2022)
https://www.harrisonparrott.com/news/2022-11-04/marina-abramovic-brings-the-seven-deaths-of-maria-callas-to-royal
The Truth Vs Alex Jones (2024)
https://tv.apple.com/gb/show/the-truth-vs-alex-jones/umc.cmc.1azsv881ew8mcjozutufy51vf
Credits:
Producer: Millie Chu
Assistant Producer: Maan al-Yasiri
Production Manager: Francesca Bassett
Music: Miguel D’Oliveira
Audio Mixer: Tom Guest
Video Mixer: Scott Edwards
Shownotes compiled by Elly Young
Executive Producer: Arron Fellows
A Mindhouse Production for Spotify
www.mindhouse.co.uk
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