Abstract
This chapter presents a rare dialogue between two of the most influential performance artists of the past century, ORLAN and Marina Abramović. Engaging in a deconstructed conversation structured through chance operations inspired by John Cage, the artists explore themes of fragility, authenticity, and the limits of the body in performance. Their discussion offers deep insight into the intersections between physical endurance, identity, and artistic transformation, revealing distinct yet overlapping philosophies on the role of the body as both medium and message.
Abramović, known for her durational performances that push the physical and psychological boundaries of endurance, reflects on the role of long-form work in revealing true vulnerability. She examines how the passage of time has shaped her understanding of corporeal presence, meditative states, and the limits of her aging body. ORLAN, by contrast, rejects pain as a necessary condition of performance, advocating instead for a form of “Carnal Art” that challenges social and religious constructs of the female body through surgical modification and digital manipulation. She critiques traditional notions of suffering, resisting the Judeo-Christian legacy of martyrdom and instead celebrating bodily transformation as an act of agency and defiance.
Through their exchange, ORLAN and Abramović engage in an implicit negotiation of the body’s place within contemporary art, questioning its relationship to history, spirituality, and ideological resistance. Their conversation not only highlights the contrasts in their approaches—one rooted in endurance, the other in reconstruction—but also underscores their shared commitment to reimagining the body beyond conventional boundaries. This chapter serves as both an archival document and an act of performative discourse, capturing the ongoing evolution of performance art through the voices of two of its most radical practitioners.
Abramović, known for her durational performances that push the physical and psychological boundaries of endurance, reflects on the role of long-form work in revealing true vulnerability. She examines how the passage of time has shaped her understanding of corporeal presence, meditative states, and the limits of her aging body. ORLAN, by contrast, rejects pain as a necessary condition of performance, advocating instead for a form of “Carnal Art” that challenges social and religious constructs of the female body through surgical modification and digital manipulation. She critiques traditional notions of suffering, resisting the Judeo-Christian legacy of martyrdom and instead celebrating bodily transformation as an act of agency and defiance.
Through their exchange, ORLAN and Abramović engage in an implicit negotiation of the body’s place within contemporary art, questioning its relationship to history, spirituality, and ideological resistance. Their conversation not only highlights the contrasts in their approaches—one rooted in endurance, the other in reconstruction—but also underscores their shared commitment to reimagining the body beyond conventional boundaries. This chapter serves as both an archival document and an act of performative discourse, capturing the ongoing evolution of performance art through the voices of two of its most radical practitioners.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Publisher | Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 28 Feb 2025 |