The Artist is Present: Response

A great documentary and a great artist. I was familiar with Abramovic's work from presentations in class, but this documentary delve into the artists as an individual removed from her art as well as the thought process behind the art. I am always fascinated by those who push limits, and Marina is a perfect example of an individual who successfully does this.

Artist is Present Response

The Artist is Present is by far the best documentary film I have ever watched, especially in this time based media class. This film followed Marina Abramovic through her day-to-day routine as she prepared for a major show titled "The Artist is Present." I particularly enjoyed this documentary because of its authenticity and enthusiasm that was displayed throughout the entire film. I suggest that this film is screened to classes to come because it helps with creating an idea for the final project.

The Artist is Present: Response

I really enjoyed seeing this movie in class and so I could know a little more about the art of Marina. Actually, I have great difficulty understanding interpret some forms of art, and this documentary I could marvel at Mariana and his companions. In addition to the teachings of his art, was also fascinating know a little about her personal life. Now I can say I know Marina's and admire.

The Artist is Present: Response

I really enjoyed this movie. I’m already a fan of Marina Abromovic’s work but I think this movie helped me respect her more. I knew nothing about her personal life before this movie. I judged her based strictly on her early work. The movie showed her strengths and just how far she would go for her artwork. I didn’t expect her and Ulay to give so much information and be as open as they were. This was my favorite part of the movie because I felt like in that moment she and Ulay were only human like the rest of us. I even shed a tear when they reached their hands across the table to grab the others at the MoMA performance. That was beautiful. I also love how honest Ulay was honest when he just said how lazy he was. Marina has a stronger desire and drive to perform and that is why she is a different state then Ulay right now.

I do wonder where she would be right now if her and Ulay were still together, probably not the artist we know her as today. I think all things happen for a reason and the breakup with Ulay may have been painful but it seemed like the birth of a new artist.

I like Marina how she is now more than when she did her earlier work because she has been hurt and went through struggle. I love to see a person when they are vulnerable it just makes them that more real and likable to me. Knowing all of this just makes me enjoy her work that much more. I feel like she will keep working until she dies. I don’t see her giving performing a break because of her age. I think she will perform and work even harder. She was in her 60’s when she did “The Artist is Present“ I think it’s pretty amazing as to how someone her age could handle the performance the way she did. The connection she had with her audience amazes me! The tears during the performance were beautiful.

This movie just helped me have that much more respect for her. I get really tired of just seeing artist work after work without having any history of them; it makes me feel like the work is less desirable. I also have a lot of respect for Yoko Ono as well because I find her personal life fascinating. I’m really big on learning about a person’s history and I enjoy the way Marina was so open about giving hers. This movie not only gives me a bigger respect for her, but for performance art as well.

Even after finishing the movie I decided to do more research and I thought it was cool hat she is working with Lady Gaga on her latest album “Artpop.” What other person in their 60’s would be working with Gaga?!? That’s just awesome. I think both of them are crazy and make amazing work, I like crazy. She looks amazing for her age. Much respect.

Artist Is Present Response

I absolutely loved this documentary. It completely changed my perspective about not only Marina Abramovic as a person but also performance art as a whole. I have a newfound love for Abramovic, not only as an artist, but as a person as well. This documentary shed a new light for me on her life and on her work, and portrayed her less as a lofty and unreachable artist that we learn about in school--akin to the way we learn about famous writers, like Hemingway or famous inventors, like Benjamin Franklin (that is to say, brilliant, unparalleled, and held up on an unreachable pedestal)--and more as a real, living, human artist. The way she spoke and behaved behind the scenes made her seem as though she was just like everyone else, although oftentimes people only ever discuss how bizarre and monumental or outrageous her work is (which can cause people to build up a completely incorrect image of her as a person.) The documentary also provided new context to works I was familiar with, as well as introducing me to works I had never before heard of. I'm glad I was exposed to them with both contextual/historical background along with the artist's own words, because I feel like, if I had solely learned about these pieces from a removed source, the pieces would have lost a lot of their meaning or impact. The documentary was excellent, and I'm glad to have watched it.

Artist Is Present response

     It's going to be difficult to keep this response short because I'm so in awe of Marina Abromovic's work.

     One of the things I appreciate most about her is her bravery. I don't mean because she's exposed herself completely to an audience of people ranging from art connaiseurs to visitors with little to no background knowledge of art, let alone performance art, but because her performance pieces often run a risk of severe injury, require a high threshhold for pain, and sometimes leave her at the mercy of her audience. The one that impressed me the most wasn't discussed in the video, but I remember she performed one where she essentially gave strangers complete permission to do whatever they wanted to her by providing them with objects from flowers to knives to condoms. What I love about it is that, yes, it sounds insane to open yourself up to harm, but Marina is clearly someone with full control of her faculties and that performance showed what people are capable of when repercussions are removed from the equation. Every performance she creates has a purpose, and while some artists strive to do the same, I feel that sometimes they come across as pretentious and barely scratch the surface of what they're intending to say. I really get what Marina does. The ideas are immediate even if subtle because she's not injecting the piece with a meaning of her choosing; the piece contains all the meaning in and of itself. For example, the one where visitors have to pass through two nude bodies to see the rest of the museum challanges people to confront the paradigm that nudity is shameful; that bodies are to be hidden.It really brings you to question why things are the way they are. On the same note, her stamina is incredible. To sit completely immobile not only for one performance but every day for 92 days is amazing and speaks volumes to how passionate she is about her work. She really does captivate with her commitment to her work and her ability to connect with people because she pours every bit of herself into it. I could watch films on her for ages and write whole essays on her for days.

The Artist is Present

I had already been fairly familiar with Marina Abramovic's "The Artist is Present," but the documentary added depth to the intrinsically moving performance by providing an intimate perspective of Abramovic.  The documentary gave the piece context, whereas before, I had only pictured the project from the blessed audience's point of view.  I considered that it must have been physically and emotionally tolling to sit in the same spot for months, to have a connection with each person, but when you are imagining the project from the audience's perspective and imagining your chance to sit in front of her, I admit that Marina becomes an object, and it is expected of her to carry out the project and provide that connection and insight, because her entire career has been about pushing the body's limits. This documentary forced you to realize her human side (though still brilliant and powerful), even hearing that she was nervous before the performance started, but seeing her seamlessly switch into performance mode as soon as she bowed her head in the chair.  The performance's length struck me the most when she pointed out she would step inside the museum during winter, and step out of the museum facing summer.  I loved learning about her personal life and hearing her old lover's testimonies, because while you could detect the drama of the past, a profound respect still existed for her.  It seems impossible to not respect her and her work!  There is something to be said of her effortless influence and our bewildered respect in that I felt a connection with her gaze, despite being separated from her by time and a camera.  To sum this up in a sentence, the documentary approached the subject flawlessly, and I am inspired by Marina.