All the aggressive actions I do to myself I would never dream of doing in my own life - I am not this kind of person. I cry if I cut myself peeling potatoes. I am taking the plane, there is turbulence, I am shaking. In performance, I become, somehow, like not a mortal.
I hate studio. For me, studio is a trap to overproduce and repeat yourself. It is a habit that leads to art pollution.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote expresses disdain for the creative constraints of studio work, suggesting it leads to repetitive and unoriginal art.
Marina Abramovic articulates her belief that working in a studio confines artists within a restrictive framework that promotes overproduction and a lack of genuine creativity. She argues that such an environment cultivates a detrimental habit that diminishes the authenticity and purity of artistic expression, leading to what she terms 'art pollution.' This perspective challenges artists to seek inspiration outside traditional settings and embrace spontaneity in their work.
Themes
In practice
Example use cases
In a discussion on creative freedom, this quote can highlight the pitfalls of conventional artistic environments.
More from Marina Abramovic
All quotes βThe function of the artist in a disturbed society is to give awareness of the universe, to ask the right questions, and to elevate the mind.
First of all, to do performance art, you really have to give 100 percent. I only know that I have to give 100 percent and then what happens, happens.
Theatre is fake... The knife is not real, the blood is not real, and the emotions are not real. Performance is just the opposite: the knife is real, the blood is real, and the emotions are real.
I want people to come to me open and vulnerable. When they come to the gallery, they have to leave their watches, their computers, their Blackberrys, iPads, iPhones, because we are so incredibly used to technology, and I wanted to remove that.
When you have heartbreak, what's important is that you don't go halfway. Go all the way down. Don't take pills that keep you in limbo. Cry out all the feelings. Then your own energy for life will put you up again. You become stronger.
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