Internationally acclaimed Serbian performance artist Marina Abramović will deliver a special lecture titled “The Past, Present, and Future of Performance Art” on February 10, as part of the ongoing Kochi-Muziris Biennale (KMB) 2025. The event will take place at the Samudrika Convention Centre, Willingdon Island, from 6 pm to 8 pm.
Open to attendees aged 16 and above, the lecture promises a rare opportunity to hear one of the most influential figures in contemporary art reflect on her artistic journey and the evolution of live art as a form. Tickets are priced at Rs 1,000 for adults and Rs 500 for senior citizens and children, with a total seating capacity of 800. Bookings can be made online at: https://events.finlo.in/kochibiennalemarina
Abramović, whose prolific and radical practice spans five decades, is widely regarded as a pioneer of performance art. Born and raised in post-war Yugoslavia, she has consistently pushed the limits of endurance, presence, and vulnerability, using her own body as a primary medium. Her works draw attention to time and materiality, while also probing the political, moral, and ethical dimensions of live art.
In her Kochi lecture, Abramović is expected to delve into her artistic philosophy, addressing the role of the body and the audience in her work. Over the years, the relationship between artist and spectator has been central to her practice, often asking viewers to confront discomfort, intimacy, and responsibility. Rather than relying on choreographed movement, many of her performances hinge on ritualistic repetition and stillness, creating conditions for introspection and catharsis.
Abramović’s groundbreaking works, including Rhythm 0 (1974) and The Artist Is Present (2010), have become landmarks in art history. In Rhythm 0, she invited the audience to use a range of objects on her body at will, exposing herself to both care and violence, and testing the limits of spectators’ ethics. In The Artist Is Present, staged at MoMA, New York, Abramović sat silently across from visitors for hours on end, transforming the simple act of shared gaze into a powerful durational encounter. These works exemplify how discipline, endurance, and mental and spiritual focus are integral to her performances.
At KMB 2025, Abramović is also present through Waterfall, a meditative installation on view at Island Warehouse, Willingdon Island. The work, shaped by the influence of Tibetan Buddhist practitioners, features 108 portraits of monks and nuns chanting, creating a “waterfall” of voices. Visitors are invited to sit on one of 12 seats arranged before the installation, entering a contemplative and immersive soundscape that foregrounds stillness, attention, and collective presence.
In addition, the journey of the Marina Abramović Institute (MAI), founded in 2012 to support and archive long-durational performance, is being showcased at Coir Godown, Aspinwall House, Fort Kochi. The display spans three rooms and includes projects, archival material, and documentation across text, sound, film, and other media, including a 12-hour video, offering visitors deeper insight into the history and methodology of durational performance.
With her visit to Kochi and this focused public lecture, KMB 2025 continues its engagement with artists who have fundamentally reshaped contemporary art discourse. For performance art enthusiasts, students, practitioners, and the wider public, the February 10 event marks a significant moment to engage directly with Abramović’s ideas on how live art can transform both artist and audience.
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