MoMA PRESENTS THE FIRST LARGE-SCALE U.S. PERFORMANCE RETROSPECTIVE OF MARINA ABRAMOVIĆ'S WORK

Exhibition Features World Premiere of New Solo Work Performed By Abramović and Live "Reperformances" of Historical Pieces by Performers Selected for This Exhibition

Marina Abramović: The Artist Is Present
March 14-May 31, 2010
The Joan and Preston Robert Tisch Gallery, sixth floor, and The Donald B. and Catherine C. Marron
Atrium, second floor

NEW YORK, February 25, 2010—The Museum of Modern Art presents Marina Abramović: The Artist Is Present, the first large-scale scale American museum retrospective of the artist's groundbreaking performance work, from March 14 to May 31, 2010. Internationally recognized as a pioneer and key figure in performance art, Marina Abramović (Yugoslav, b. 1946) uses her own body as subject, object, and medium, exploring the physical and mental limits of her being. The exhibition traces Abramović's prolific career with approximately 50 works spanning over four decades of interventions and sound pieces, video works, installations, photography, solo performances, and collaborative performances. Also included are the world premiere of a new work to be performed by Abramović herself and "reperformances" of influential historical pieces by performers selected especially for this exhibition. The live reperformances are included in a chronological installation of the artist's work reflecting the different modes of representing, documenting, and exhibiting her ephemeral time- and media-based works. Marina Abramović: The Artist Is Present is organized by Klaus Biesenbach, Director, P.S.1 Contemporary Art Center, and Chief Curator at Large, The Museum of Modern Art.
     Abramović, best known for her durational works, has created a new work for this performance retrospective—The Artist Is Present (2010)—that she will perform daily throughout the run of the exhibition, for a total of over 700 hours. For her longest solo piece to date, Abramović will sit in silence at a table in the Museum's Donald B. and Catherine C. Marron Atrium during public hours, passively inviting visitors to take the seat across from her for as long as they choose within the timeframe of the Museum's hours of operation. Although she will not respond, participation by Museum visitors completes the piece and allows them to have a personal experience with the artist and the artwork.

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