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A reenactment of Marina Abramovic's performance "Freeing the body" (1976, Berlin) by Yann Gibert (2010, Lisbon)



“I wrap my head in a black scarf
I move following the beating of an african drum
I move until I loose all my energy
I fall
the performance lasts 8 hours.”
(Marina Abramovitch, Künstlerhaus Bethanien, Berlin 1975)


Slowly and quietly begins Abramovic to move to the rhythm of African drums. She moves, hips rocking back and forth, and uses all her body parts. In the beginning, full of energy and as the hours pass they always move a little less. You can see them gradually being depleted and are less able to move to the rhythm. Then after eight hours have been moved to the rhythm of the drummer, let Abramovic herself to the ground. Exhausted, she stays lying.
What exactly is the intention of this performance? The performance artist does with this performance and the audience itself an attempt to move to another dimension. The goal is to reach a particular state with no pain, fear, death or physical limitations. There may be a link from its attempt to reduce restrictions with rituals from primitive cultures. It is clear that the audience is drawn into her performance so she can reach a different mental state. Thus, the public is even slightly entranced by the sight of her movements. Is it shocking? It fits at least in the theme of her performance, Abramovic and her naked body as an object for her physical and mental disabilities to discover.















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