From Shocking Submission to Surprising New Path: What the Artist Who Let Strangers Control Her Is Doing Today

Ever wonder what happens when an artist hands over the reins—and a loaded gun—to complete strangers for six hours straight? Well, Marina Abramović did exactly that in 1974, and trust me, it was nothing short of a wild social experiment cloaked in performance art. This Serbian conceptual artist didn’t just push boundaries; she practically bulldozed them by letting the audience do whatever they pleased—ranging from gentle kisses to some seriously sharp razors—to her motionless body. Ready to flirt with death in the name of art, Marina has been shaking up the creative world ever since, proving that sometimes, the most profound statements come from standing still while chaos unfolds. Curious to unravel the guts and glory behind one of the most daring acts in art history? LEARN MORE.

A woman who took part in one of the most extreme artistic performances of all time is still making waves in the industry today.

Marina Abramović first burst onto the world stage with her controversial performance titled ‘Rhythm 0’.

Taking place in 1974, the Serbian conceptual artist put her health and livelihood on the line for the sake of the performance.

Now 78, the artist allowed people at the time to do whatever they wanted to her body for six hours while she stood motionless.

There were two objects for spectators to choose from and use on her in any way they wanted, from fruits and perfume to the likes of knives and razors, as she admitted she was ‘ready to die’.

As time went on, she was stripped and her skin was slashed, while another even held a loaded gun to her head and put Abramović’s finger on the trigger.

Why did Marina Abramović do Rhythm 0?

The artist is known for pushing the boundaries with her work (Marina Abramović)

Marina spoke about her experience of the performance, as she said ‘nothing really happened’ at the beginning.

“The public were really nice. They gave me a rose, they would kiss me, look at me, and the public became more and more wild,” she said on the Marina Abramović Institute YouTube channel.

However, as the performance progressed, things began to get sinister, but she was prepared for it.

“I start moving. I start being myself […] and, at that moment, everybody ran away. People could not actually confront with me as a person,” Marina said. “The experience I drew from this piece was that in your own performances you can go very far, but if you leave decisions to the public, you can be killed.”

What has Marina Abramović done since Rhythm 0?

Since then, Abramović has performed in several equally outrageous displays of art and is considered by many to be one of the most daring performance artists of all time.

Just years on from Rhythm 0, she partook in ‘Imponderabilia’, where viewers would have to squeeze between naked bodies to enter a gallery.

There was even a recreation of Vito Acconci’s ‘Seedbed’ in 2005 at the Guggenheim Museum in New York City, which made headlines for different reasons.

Abramovic has not stopped making headlines with her shows since ‘Rhythm 0’ (John Snelling/Getty Images)

Speaking to New York Art, Abramović claimed that she had nine orgasms during her recreation of Seedbed.

“Having orgasms publicly, being excited by the visitors steps above me – it’s really not easy, I tell you! I’ve never concentrated so hard in my life,” she claimed.

The artist added: “I heard that people had a great time; it was like a big party up there! I ended with nine orgasms. It was terrible for the next piece – I was so exhausted!”

What is Abramović doing next?

The 78-year-old is set to debut ‘Balkan Erotic Epic’ at Aviva Studios in Manchester this October. Abramović also has shows scheduled in Barcelona, Berlin, New York, and Hong Kong coming up.

Described to be one of ‘her most ambitious as ever’, the four-hour piece is ‘where ancient myth meets performance art’, with Factory International explaining that it ‘explores the eroticism, spirituality and traditions of Abramović’s homeland through 13 visceral scenes.’

Over 70 performers will be involved in the show, as Abramović told The Guardian earlier this year: “Balkan Erotic Epic is the most ambitious work in my career. This gives me a chance to go back to my Slavic roots and culture, look back to ancient rituals and deal with sexuality in relation to the universe and the unanswered questions of our existence.

“Through this project, I would like to show poetry, desperation, pain, hope, suffering and reflect our own mortality.”