Marina Abramovic
09 Dec 2005 - 21 Jan 2006
MARINA ABRAMOVIC
BALKAN EROTIC EPIC
December 9, 2005 - January 21, 2006
Sean Kelly Gallery is delighted to announce Balkan Erotic Epic, a major exhibition of new work by Marina Abramovic. The opening of the exhibition will take place on Thursday, December 8th from 6pm until 8pm. The artist will be present.
Marina Abramovic’s exhibition is comprised of several video projections, which explore how sexuality and the human body were employed in Balkan pagan traditions and culture throughout history. Abramovic researched Serbian folklore and discovered many historic instances of the employment of eroticism and sexuality to address everyday issues. For example, if it rained too much the women of the village would run into the fields and lift their skirts in an attempt to scare the gods and end the rain. Along with amateur actors, Abramovic dressed in traditional folk costumes and reenacted ancient rituals. The videos examine Balkan folklore and culture, the power of sexuality and tradition.
Marina Abramovic, born in 1946 in Belgrade, Yugoslavia, is without question one of the seminal artists of our time. She was awarded the Golden Lion for Best Artist at the 1997 Venice Biennale for her extraordinary video installation/performance piece Balkan Baroque. Her work is included in many major public collections worldwide including: The Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York; the Musée National d’Art Moderne, Centre Georges Pompidou, Paris, France; the Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam, Holland; the Van AbbeMuseum, Eindhoven, Holland; the Irish Museum of Modern Art, Dublin, Ireland; and the Kunstmuseum Bern, Bern Switzerland. Recent solo exhibitions have included: Seven Easy Pieces, The Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York; The Star, Contemporary Art Museum, Kumamoto, Japan; Marina Abramovic: The Hero, Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, Washington, DC; Marking the Territory, The Irish Museum of Modern Art, Dublin, Ireland; The Hunt, Center for Contemporary Art Kitakyushu, Kitakyushu, Japan; Spirit Houses, Bourganeuf, France; Marina Abramovic, Fondazione Antonio Ratti, Como, Italy, and Public Body – Artist Body, The Kunstverein Hannover, Germany. Abramovic has a substantial forthcoming retrospective in 2008 at the Kunst und Ausstellunghalle der Bundesrepublik Deutschland, Bonn, Germany.
In January 2006, Marina Abramovic: Balkan Epic will be on view as part of the Art for the World Project at Pirelli in Milan, Italy. Balkan Erotic Epic, a major monograph of the project, will be published on the occasion of the exhibition.
Please contact Amy Gotzler at 212.239.1181 or amy@skny.com for more information. Gallery hours are Tuesday through Friday from 11am until 6pm and Saturday 10am until 6pm. Please contact the gallery for holiday hours.
© Marina Abramovic
Balkan Erotic Epic (detail)
2005
video projection
dimensions variable
BALKAN EROTIC EPIC
December 9, 2005 - January 21, 2006
Sean Kelly Gallery is delighted to announce Balkan Erotic Epic, a major exhibition of new work by Marina Abramovic. The opening of the exhibition will take place on Thursday, December 8th from 6pm until 8pm. The artist will be present.
Marina Abramovic’s exhibition is comprised of several video projections, which explore how sexuality and the human body were employed in Balkan pagan traditions and culture throughout history. Abramovic researched Serbian folklore and discovered many historic instances of the employment of eroticism and sexuality to address everyday issues. For example, if it rained too much the women of the village would run into the fields and lift their skirts in an attempt to scare the gods and end the rain. Along with amateur actors, Abramovic dressed in traditional folk costumes and reenacted ancient rituals. The videos examine Balkan folklore and culture, the power of sexuality and tradition.
Marina Abramovic, born in 1946 in Belgrade, Yugoslavia, is without question one of the seminal artists of our time. She was awarded the Golden Lion for Best Artist at the 1997 Venice Biennale for her extraordinary video installation/performance piece Balkan Baroque. Her work is included in many major public collections worldwide including: The Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York; the Musée National d’Art Moderne, Centre Georges Pompidou, Paris, France; the Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam, Holland; the Van AbbeMuseum, Eindhoven, Holland; the Irish Museum of Modern Art, Dublin, Ireland; and the Kunstmuseum Bern, Bern Switzerland. Recent solo exhibitions have included: Seven Easy Pieces, The Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York; The Star, Contemporary Art Museum, Kumamoto, Japan; Marina Abramovic: The Hero, Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, Washington, DC; Marking the Territory, The Irish Museum of Modern Art, Dublin, Ireland; The Hunt, Center for Contemporary Art Kitakyushu, Kitakyushu, Japan; Spirit Houses, Bourganeuf, France; Marina Abramovic, Fondazione Antonio Ratti, Como, Italy, and Public Body – Artist Body, The Kunstverein Hannover, Germany. Abramovic has a substantial forthcoming retrospective in 2008 at the Kunst und Ausstellunghalle der Bundesrepublik Deutschland, Bonn, Germany.
In January 2006, Marina Abramovic: Balkan Epic will be on view as part of the Art for the World Project at Pirelli in Milan, Italy. Balkan Erotic Epic, a major monograph of the project, will be published on the occasion of the exhibition.
Please contact Amy Gotzler at 212.239.1181 or amy@skny.com for more information. Gallery hours are Tuesday through Friday from 11am until 6pm and Saturday 10am until 6pm. Please contact the gallery for holiday hours.
© Marina Abramovic
Balkan Erotic Epic (detail)
2005
video projection
dimensions variable