Wk 7 - AOTW : Marina Abromović

Background

 Marina Abramović was born in 1946 in Belgrade, Yugoslaviaz Her mother was a little violent, yet she supported her daughter in art. Abramović studied painting at the Academy of Fine Arts in Belgrade, and at Radionica Krsta Hegedusic, Academy of Fine Arts in Zagreb. It was in the early 1970s that she began creating performative art, initially creating sound installations. During this period she taught at the Academy of Arts, University of Novi Sad. 

Content Analysis

Abramović uses lots of women within her work, it shows lots of female nudity. She also uses lots of people in general, whether male or female, standing in one position usually making a strange pose or odd stance. Marina also uses monochrome filters on her works and color on some, she uses different types of styles when taking pictures. Along with people, she uses lots of animals, specifically a goat or lamb, it may represent something but there is lots of use of lambs / goats within her works which should symbolize something. Her work can include blank backgrounds or even complex, city backgrounds, usually nature-based though.

Formal Analysis

Marina seems to be dabbling in the area of feminism along with darker themes. She seems to be working towards something of female and male relations using lots of females and some males, but mostly a feminine side to the works. Her work could be something along domestic problems, especially the work where the man is pointing an arrow at the woman, creating a darker theme. Her themes seem to be along the darker side, also bringing in darker scenes and backgrounds which hint towards the feel of the works. Overall, her work is dark and gives the aura of a feminist. 

Synthesis / My Experience 

I really like her work. It's really interesting and cool to look at, it seems to be corresponding to some belief or idea of hers when it comes to male and female interaction. There were a lot of controversial pieces and think that it is good to bring that, it creates lots of perspectives and views on the art and gives a new light. It's not something I would personally keep in my house or hang up, but it is interesting and cool. I would see this at a museum or something but not within my own home. It's not really my style but really caught my eye when looking at all the pieces by her.