World-famous performance artist Marina Abramović will present the world premiere of her latest performance – her biggest ever – at Aviva Studios, from 9 – 19 October.
The ‘Balkan Erotic Epic’ will draw on the iconic artist’s Balkan heritage, and is being presented by Factory International at Aviva Studios.
70 performers will come together in a powerful performance fusing song, dance and ritual in an immersive exploration of eroticism, spirituality and cultural tradition. Audiences will be invited to navigate the performance freely – with pop-up encounters punctuating the action including intimate performances, feverish dances, and haunting songs.
Abramović – who is often referred to as ‘the grandmother of performance art’ – will draw on traditions from Romania, Bulgaria, Greece, Albania, Serbia, Macedonia, Bosnia, Kosovo, Montenegro, and Roma and Traveller cultures. Within the performance there’ll be sections entitled ‘Fertility Rite’, ‘Massaging the Breast’ and ‘In Scaring the Gods’.
This new work marks a major moment in Abramović’s celebrated career, and a rare opportunity for UK audiences to experience the full force of her creative vision in an ambitious, immersive performance of unprecedented scale.
She will also be giving an exclusive artist talk celebrating the world premiere of the event at Aviva Studios on Saturday 11th October (4-5pm).
“In our culture today, we label anything erotic as pornography”, says Marina Abramović. “Balkan Erotic Epic is the most ambitious work in my career. This gives me a chance to go back to my Slavic roots and culture, look back to ancient rituals and deal with sexuality, in relation to the universe and the unanswered questions of our existence. Through this project I would like to show poetry, desperation, pain, hope, suffering, and reflect our own mortality.”
John McGrath, Artistic Director and Chief Executive, Factory International said: “It is a real honour to be working with Marina Abramović on the world premiere of Balkan Erotic Epic at Aviva Studios. Marina is one of the most influential artists of our time, connecting with audiences across the globe – from the Pyramid Stage at Glastonbury to MoMA in New York. This new performance work offers an unmissable opportunity for audiences to experience the next chapter of her creative life – bold, immersive, and on a scale that’s truly unprecedented.”
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