S6 EP7: Marina Abramovic on the relationship between performance and pain, never feeling loved in her childhood, and harmful conspiracies

For the final episode of this series, Louis travels to Manchester to sit down with Marina Abramovic, the self-proclaimed “grandmother of performance art”. Marina tells Louis the stories behind some of her most famous artworks, as well as the relationship between performance and pain, never feeling loved in her childhood, and being caught in the middle of an online conspiracy.

Warnings: Strong language and adult themes.

Links/Attachments:

Balkan Erotic Epic, Marina Abramovic (2025)

https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2025/may/22/manchester-to-host-world-premiere-of-marina-abramovics-balkan-erotic-epic

The Artist is Present, Marina Abramovic (2010)

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2073029/

Lips of Thomas, Marina Abramovic (1975)

https://www.guggenheim.org/artwork/5176

Rhythm 0, Marina Abramovic (1974)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xTBkbseXfOQ&list=PL0bCt-VbCH4N3823Lj7uNAFLiYDjSnbTp&index=1

Cut Piece, Yoko Ono (1964)

https://www.moma.org/audio/playlist/15/373

Cut Piece, Yoko Ono (2005):

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2003/sep/16/arts.france

Bob Wilson’s Life and Death of Marina Abramovic, (2012)

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2177497/

Book: When Marina Abramovic Dies, James Westcott (2014)

https://mitpress.mit.edu/9780262526814/when-marina-abramovic-dies/

Light – Dark, Ulay & Marina Abramovic (1978)

https://www.stedelijk.nl/en/collection/13991-ulay-light-dark

Seedbed, Vito Acconci (1972)

https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/266876

Seven Easy Pieces, Marina Abramovic (2005)

http://pastexhibitions.guggenheim.org/abramovic/

The Great Wall Walk, Marina Abramovic (1988)

https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2020/apr/25/marina-abramovic-ulay-walk-the-great-wall-of-china

Book: Walk Through Walls: A Memoir, Marina Abramovic (2016)

https://www.waterstones.com/book/walk-through-walls/marina-abramovic/9780241974520

Balkan Baroque, Marina Abramovic (1997)

https://www.singulart.com/blog/en/2024/06/03/balkan-baroque-by-marina-abramovic/?srsltid=AfmBOopPyXzjOP800ERQMaHvbiNNps0oMBOCmOKjWOhdpNt6X6kEvu2k

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UQigTZuTmv0

BBC Maestro, Marina Abramovic:

https://www.bbcmaestro.com/courses/marina-abramovic/the-art-of-being-present

Article: ‘Marina Abramovic Just Wants Conspiracy Theorists to Let Her Be’, New York Times, 2020

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/21/arts/design/marina-abramovic-satanist-conspiracy-theory.html

The Seven Deaths of Maria Callas (2022)

https://www.harrisonparrott.com/news/2022-11-04/marina-abramovic-brings-the-seven-deaths-of-maria-callas-to-royal

The Truth Vs Alex Jones (2024)

https://tv.apple.com/gb/show/the-truth-vs-alex-jones/umc.cmc.1azsv881ew8mcjozutufy51vf

Credits:

Producer: Millie Chu

Assistant Producer: Maan al-Yasiri

Production Manager: Francesca Bassett

Music: Miguel D’Oliveira

Audio Mixer: Tom Guest

Video Mixer: Scott Edwards

Shownotes compiled by Elly Young

Executive Producer: Arron Fellows

A Mindhouse Production for Spotify

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