From supplying the public with lipstick, chains and knives to do with her body as they wish, to writing and starring in an opera with Hollywood actor Willem Dafoe, Marina Abramović is one of the biggest names in performance art.
Known for pushing her body, and the audience, to the limit, the 78-year-old award-winning artist has announced that her new work, Balkan Erotic Epic, will be performed in Manchester next month.
Her latest (and largest) performance work to date will be running from October 9-19. Premiering at Factory International’s Aviva Studios, Balkan Erotic Epic draws on Abramović's Balkan heritage (she was born in Belgrade, Serbia).
Abramović’s work often reflects on her ongoing exploration of the body, sexuality and the limits of the human experience. And this work is no different. With over 70 performers featuring in the work, the production includes 13 different scenes, each exploring different rituals, legends and beliefs from the Balkan region through various dances, songs and music.
Audiences won’t just sit and watch – they’ll be free to wander through the immersive production, experiencing its power and provocation from different angles. Abramović invites audience members to consider the body as a site of power, mystery and transformation.
‘In our culture today, we label anything erotic as pornography’, Abramović said. ‘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.’
The premiere is accompanied by a full programme of events, including an exclusive artist talk on October 11 where Abramović herself will discuss the work in depth. Visitors can also explore a dedicated installation of the performance work, with key set design pieces – including fertile forests, Balkan bathtubs and a life-size café – alongside videos of the performance and animations by Sonia Alcón & Fredrik Nordbeck.
Tickets are on sale now from factoryinternational.org.
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