BOOK:Marina Abramović, Phaidon Publications

Since the early ‘70s, Marina Abramovic has pioneered the use of performance as a visual art form, exploring her physical and emotional limits in some of the most iconic works in contemporary art. Abramovic features prominently in virtually every survey of performance art. In 2005 at New York’s Guggenheim Museum Abramovic staged a landmark week-long series of performances entitled “Seven Easy Pieces”. Her twelve-day ‘living installation’ “The House with The Ocean View “was one of the best exhibition of 2002, and she was awarded the Golden Lion at the 1997 Venice Biennale for her Video Installation/Performance Balkan Baroque. In the monograph “Marina Abramović” from Phaidon Publications in 160 pages with 110 color and 50 black and white illustrations, you will find: A bramović’s writings that include early interviews, proposals for unrealized projects and diary entries, providing an overview of the artist’s thinking on the subjects of art, performance and experience. Kristine Stiles’s Survey covering the artist’s career, from her early days in Belgrade to her collaboration with Ulay and her most recent film and performance works. Klaus Biesenbach discusses with the artist her motivations and influences, as well as the role of performance art today. Artist’s Choice features an excerpt from French writer Alexandra David-Néel’s log about her visit to Tibet in the ‘20s and the magic rituals she witnessed there.–Efi Michalarou