Performance artist Marina Abramovic has impressed us with her projects for more than 40 years, first of all with her most recent performance, “The Artist Is Present” (2010), which showed her sitting motionless in MoMA’s atrium for three months, offering her gaze to anyone willing to sit across from her. Based on this intensive experience Abramaovic not 0nly felt that this has changed herself but also, this let her realise how important her visitors’ participation and involvement is. As a result she founded MAI (Marina Abramovic Institute) which is “dedicated to the presentation and preservation of long durational work, including that of performance art, dance, theater, film, music, opera, and other forms that may develop in the future. MAI will foster collaboration between art, science, technology, and spirituality, bringing these fields into conversation with long durational work. MAI will provide an educational space to host workshops, lectures, residencies, and research.” To support the artist’s ambitions and raise funds for her project, Marina Abramovic Institute has launched a Kickstarter campaign.
In the video below Marina Abramovic explains her project’s vision and why she needs your help:
If you contribute to this Kickstarter campaign, your money will fund “will cover phase one of MAI’s development: the design process. Given that MAI is the first of its kind, its early design phase demands an innovative approach. Your pledge will contribute to early MAI programming, office operations, and schematic designs of architectural elements, including building structure, lighting, acoustics, and AV. Leading this process are world-renowned architects Rem Koolhaas and Shohei Shigematsu of the Office for Metropolitan Architecture (OMA), whose unique vision will help MAI to create new ways for audiences and performers to interact.” The project will only be funded if at least $600,000 is pledged by 25 August 2013.
Learn more about the Kickstarter campaign here.
Moreover, Marina Abramovic will be doing an AMA (Ask Me Anything) today at 12:30pm EST (18:30 CET). At that time the link to the AMA will be provided on Facebook, so save your questions.
Images via Facebook.
