I THINK Marina Abramovic has always been a bit ahead of her time, but lately, she seems to have taken her place as the artist of our time.
There are few other artists that command the kind of attention that she does these days. Damien Hirst was there for a while, you can argue that Banksy made it to that lofty level at one point, and if you believe the hype, Yayoi Kusama, at least when it comes to the web, has a pretty high profile these days.
But Abramovic is an interesting person to consider. Having built her career on the foundations of conceptual and performance art, it's often a harder pill for the public to swallow. I mean, with Hirst and Banksy, we have an encyclopedia of trademark images that we can associate with them, but with Marina, I think a lot of her new found respect can be attributed to The Artist is Present, the documentary that was an art house hit that crossed over to mainstream audiences.
And deservedly so. If you haven't seen it, even if you're not an art fan, you'll enjoy it. It's thoughtful, gripping and Abramovic Inc. makes for great viewing.
Galleries around the world are lining up to get her involved in their projects. In Sydney and Hobart in Australia, there are residencies and retrospectives that are cementing her position as an artist of worldwide significance.
I found it really interesting last year when I visited her native Belgrade that there was no space dedicated to her work or that could capitalise on her undeniable appeal. Serbia's contemporary art world is interesting from an artist's perspective, but as an industry it's plagued with financial problems. I recall seeing a lot of really small commercial galleries dotted around the city centre, but being disappointed that the Belgrade Contemporary Art Museum was closed due to funding issues.
Abramovic, like other contemporary artists who reach the peak of the public's imagination, knows how to bait attention and back it up with solid theory and practice. Her latest grab at the headlines focuses on her plans for her eventual funeral, which, in Abramovic style, will be an artistic affair. More on that here.
There are few other artists that command the kind of attention that she does these days. Damien Hirst was there for a while, you can argue that Banksy made it to that lofty level at one point, and if you believe the hype, Yayoi Kusama, at least when it comes to the web, has a pretty high profile these days.
But Abramovic is an interesting person to consider. Having built her career on the foundations of conceptual and performance art, it's often a harder pill for the public to swallow. I mean, with Hirst and Banksy, we have an encyclopedia of trademark images that we can associate with them, but with Marina, I think a lot of her new found respect can be attributed to The Artist is Present, the documentary that was an art house hit that crossed over to mainstream audiences.
And deservedly so. If you haven't seen it, even if you're not an art fan, you'll enjoy it. It's thoughtful, gripping and Abramovic Inc. makes for great viewing.
Galleries around the world are lining up to get her involved in their projects. In Sydney and Hobart in Australia, there are residencies and retrospectives that are cementing her position as an artist of worldwide significance.
I found it really interesting last year when I visited her native Belgrade that there was no space dedicated to her work or that could capitalise on her undeniable appeal. Serbia's contemporary art world is interesting from an artist's perspective, but as an industry it's plagued with financial problems. I recall seeing a lot of really small commercial galleries dotted around the city centre, but being disappointed that the Belgrade Contemporary Art Museum was closed due to funding issues.
Abramovic, like other contemporary artists who reach the peak of the public's imagination, knows how to bait attention and back it up with solid theory and practice. Her latest grab at the headlines focuses on her plans for her eventual funeral, which, in Abramovic style, will be an artistic affair. More on that here.
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