Rhythm 0. 1974.

constantia — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 23:10:57 +0000

Indeed, a few years later, in 1973, she realised her first performances. In these performances Marina truly tested the limits of her body, using it as her canvas and her pain as spectacle, these early works are among her most celebrated and in turn caused somewhat censure and judgment. Her interest was not in provoking shock or scandal as an artistic pose, but in experimenting with the physical and psychological limits of the human body. In doing this however she often needed the participation of the public as by looking at her and partaking in her performance the audience helped to create an energetic dialogue that helped her to cross her corporeal boundaries, mental and physical, and at the same time the threshold of political correctness. One of her most well known and challenging of these performances that really tested the audience and Marina herself was her piece titled “Rhythm 0”, performed in 1974 in Studio Morra in Naples (see image below). For this work she assigned herself a passive role and the audience an active one as they were the force to act upon her. Marina walked into the studio and stood at the front of the room, she opened her robe, revealing her naked self. In front of her was a table and placed upon it were 72 objects that the public were allowed to use on her in any way they wanted… She was vulnerable. According to the artist in an interview published in 1998 that was exactly how she wanted to feel; “Vulnerability is very important. It means that we are really completely alive and that is an extremely important space. This is for me the space from which my work generates.”

A sign instructed the audience, which read; ‘There are 72 objects on the table that one can use on me as desired. I am the object. During this period I take full responsibility. ’ The objects varied; some were simply nice, feminine objects such as flowers or perfume that could give pleasure, while others were harmful and could be wielded to inflict pain upon her. Among them were nails, a hammer, a knife, a saw, and most notoriously a gun with a single bullet placed next to it on the table. This performance was to last 6 hours and the artist to remain impassive and silent throughout. At the beginning, the public acted cautiously, waiting for someone to make the first move and when the first member of the audience reacted, it was with modesty. However as time went on and Marina remained detached, some began to act more aggressively. They started to use the more harmful objects, looking at and wounding the vulnerable women in front of them as though she herself had become a mere object for their use. With this powerful performance Marina undoubtedly tested the physical and psychological limits of herself and her audience. As she described this experience later: “The experience I learned was that…if you leave decision to the public, you can be killed.”… “I felt really violated: they cut my clothes, stuck rose thorns in my stomach, one person aimed the gun at my head, and another took it away. It created an aggressive atmosphere. After exactly 6 hours, as planned, I stood up and started walking toward the public. Everyone ran away, escaping an actual confrontation.”

(From the Pandorian)

@MoMA Multimedia
The artist on the experience of Rhythm 0.

Instructions
There are 72 objects on the table that can be used on me as desired.

Performance
I am the object. During this time I take full responsibility.

6 hours (8 pm-2 am)
Studio Morra, Naples

List of obects on the table:
gun
bullet
blue paint
comb
bell
whip
lipstick
pocket knife
fork
perfume
spoon
cotton
flowers
matches
rose
candle
water
scarf
mirror
drinking glass
polaroid camera
feather
chains
nails
needle
safety pin
hairpin
brush
bandage
red paint
white paint
scissors
pen
book
hat
handkerchief
sheet of white paper
kitchen knife
hammer
saw
piece of wood
ax
stick
bone of lamb
newspaper
bread
wine
honey
salt
sugar
soap
cake
metal pipe
scalpel
metal spear
box of razor blades
dish
flute
band aid
alcohol
medal
coat
shoes
chair
leather strings
yarn
wire
sulphur
grapes
olive oil
rosemary branch
apple

marina abramovic – Non Omnis Moriar

Rhythm 0. 1974.