Marina Abramovic, a Serbian artist born in 1946, is known as the “grandmother of performance art.” She is one of the key pioneers of this genre. One of her most powerful and politically engaged works is “Balkan Baroque,” created in 1997. This disturbing piece earned her an award at the Venice Biennale. In this performance, she addressed the ethnic conflicts that occurred in the Balkans during the Yugoslav Wars of the nineties. In “Balkan Baroque,” Abramovic scrubs cow bones soaked in blood while singing Serbian folk songs from her childhood. This act represents a strong and timeless symbol of the futility of trying to wash away the stains of war.
Who was Marina Abramovic?
Marina Abramovic is an introverted performance artist who questions the perception of art and life and the relations between an artist, an observer, a sufferer, and a lover. Born in 1946 in Yugoslavia, Abramović’s art has been on the periphery of mainstream art, which has transformed her into one of the pioneers of performance art.
FUN FACT: She once revealed in an interview that she finds cooking to be a therapeutic activity, allowing her to relax and unwind after intense periods of performance and artistic creation.
Her Career
As a performance artist, Abramovic has consistently challenged herself and the audiences for over four decades. Since her joint performances with Ulay, and even her performances as an individual Abramovic has consistently engaged with concepts of endurance, exposure, and connection.
What is Happening in Balkan Baroque?
| Artist | Marina Abramovic |
| Date Created | 1997 |
| Medium | Performance Art |
| Genre | Conceptual Art |
| Period | Contemporary |
| Dimensions | Variable |
| Series / Versions | Single Performance |
| Where is it housed? | Venice Biennale |
“Balkan Baroque” is a performance art that was made and acted by Marina Abramovic in 1997. It was first performed at the Venice Biennale where it received rave reviews and saw Abramovic being awarded the best artist award – the Golden Lion. The play is a powerful statement on the irrationality and savagery of war, although it particularly echoes the ethnic conflict that characterized the former Yugoslavia in the early nineties.
Here, Abramovic is dressed in white overalls and is situated in the semi-dark basement associated with a butcher’s or a morgue. Around her lies a heap of 1,500 cow bones which are smeared with blood and fresh meat. For six hours each day for four days, Abramovic tries to wash the bones with water and a brush to remove them. This monotonous and exhausting work represents the impossibility of washing away the blood and sins of war.
What’s So Special About Balkan Baroque?
The added element of multimedia, such as videos of Abramovic in various guises, enriches the depiction of her story. Thus, she enhances the performance, adding depth to it as a single woman’s story set against the backdrop of political division in her country.
Abramovic’s “Balkan Baroque” is unique due to its striking physicality combined with symbolic meaning and its effectiveness in emotionally connecting the audience to an immediate and raw experience of mourning and contemplation.
Interesting Facts About the Balkan Baroque
Venice Biennale Controversy: Initially set to represent Serbia, Abramovic decided to exhibit under the international curator’s pavilion due to political tensions. This decision underscored the controversial nature of her work and its political implications.
Golden Lion Award: Despite the grim theme, Abramovic won the Golden Lion for Best Artist at the Venice Biennale, highlighting the critical acclaim and significance of “Balkan Baroque.”
Multi-Role Performance: Abramovic not only performed the physical act of cleaning bones but also engaged with the audience through video projections, playing various roles, including a doctor and her mother. This added a rich, narrative complexity to the performance.
Folk Songs: The traditional songs sung by Abramovic during the performance were from her own childhood, creating a poignant contrast between the innocence of the past and the brutality of the present.
Artwork Spotlight: The Hero
“The Hero” by Abramovic is available on Singulart. This artwork paid tribute to her father by portraying herself gripping the reins of a white horse against the background of the stripped nature – quite a shift from the rawness of “Balkan Baroque”.
Are you looking for a piece of artwork from Marina Abramovic ?
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is Marina Abramović famous for?
Pioneering conceptual and performance artist Marina Abramović investigates body and endurance art in her work. Her work also explores the interaction between the artist and the audience, particularly when viewers participate and reveal new ideas about who they are.
What did Marina Abramović study?
Raised in Yugoslavia, Abramović’s parents were Partisans in World War II and later worked for Josip Broz Tito’s communist regime. She enrolled in the painting program at the Belgrade Academy of Fine Arts in 1965.
Conclusion
“Balkan Baroque” is probably one of the most remarkable and thought-provoking performances created by Marina Abramovic. It is a rude wake-up call about the effects of war and the impossibility of wiping them out. Instead of narrating a story, Abramovic shares a memory in this work. She presents a moment of pain, sadness, and power to the audience.
