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kimmybikini's review against another edition
4.0
Magical realism. Reminds me of Fuentes or Gabriel Garcia Marquez. Has anyone ever had this many magical things happen to them in one lifetime? I didn't know much about her before reading and was recommended the book by an artist friend Khara Ledonne, who also sees a lot of magic in life.
"The bedroom is very important. It's a kind of concentration of sleep, dreams and eroticism. If you are not passionate in life, you can't be passionate in art. If you have this sexual or erotic energy in a very strong and condensed way, you project this energy in your work. ... Making love is an important part of my life-- eroticism, sexual desires, passion-- the bedroom has to be a space where these things happen."
"The bedroom is very important. It's a kind of concentration of sleep, dreams and eroticism. If you are not passionate in life, you can't be passionate in art. If you have this sexual or erotic energy in a very strong and condensed way, you project this energy in your work. ... Making love is an important part of my life-- eroticism, sexual desires, passion-- the bedroom has to be a space where these things happen."
k_adam's review against another edition
5.0
essential analysis of human awareness & connection, my idol
carolinalopes's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
4.5
anne978's review against another edition
4.0
The two things I knew about Marina Abramović before reading this book:
1) She's an artist
2) She and her lover broke up by walking the Chinese Wall in its entirety from two ends, and meeting in the middle.
I can now state that the first is correct, and the second is sort of correct. And of course, I know much more now.
I barely read memoirs and I know nothing about art, so I'll keep this simple. I really enjoyed it, maybe more so because I was so unfamiliar with her work and life. It was illuminating to read her descriptions of how she gets ideas, how she practices art, how she pushes herself beyond what she thought was possible to make her performances work the way she wants them to. My knowledge of art is extremely limited, but this memoir really showed me that for modern art (and performance art specifically) you have to move beyond the literal representation in front of you, and consider the meaning behind it. It's impossible to fully appreciate something you don't understand.
It was inspiring and engrossing - I read it in three sittings over two days because I simply did not want to stop, even when she describes mundane stuff like knitting sweaters with stinky wool or buying a house.
I'll end with a quote I liked:
"I had come to believe that art must be disturbing, art must ask questions, art must predict the future. If art is just political, it becomes like newspaper. It can be used once, and the next day it's yesterday's news. Only layers of meaning can give long life to art - that way, society takes what it needs from the work over time."
1) She's an artist
2) She and her lover broke up by walking the Chinese Wall in its entirety from two ends, and meeting in the middle.
I can now state that the first is correct, and the second is sort of correct. And of course, I know much more now.
I barely read memoirs and I know nothing about art, so I'll keep this simple. I really enjoyed it, maybe more so because I was so unfamiliar with her work and life. It was illuminating to read her descriptions of how she gets ideas, how she practices art, how she pushes herself beyond what she thought was possible to make her performances work the way she wants them to. My knowledge of art is extremely limited, but this memoir really showed me that for modern art (and performance art specifically) you have to move beyond the literal representation in front of you, and consider the meaning behind it. It's impossible to fully appreciate something you don't understand.
It was inspiring and engrossing - I read it in three sittings over two days because I simply did not want to stop, even when she describes mundane stuff like knitting sweaters with stinky wool or buying a house.
I'll end with a quote I liked:
"I had come to believe that art must be disturbing, art must ask questions, art must predict the future. If art is just political, it becomes like newspaper. It can be used once, and the next day it's yesterday's news. Only layers of meaning can give long life to art - that way, society takes what it needs from the work over time."
veralangens's review against another edition
5.0
i already held marina in high regard but i respect her even more now
jule4ka's review against another edition
challenging
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
5.0
I'm immensely happy that I bumped into this woman and her work and now take a peek into her take on her life.
Controversial person and choice made on what to do with one's life (I had the whole big discussion with my boyfriend and he got very emotional and was raising his voice while stating that she belongs to the mental house, that it's all for vanity and attention seeking, that by no means it's art, that's shes' a charlatan etc etc etc). When I told him that when I went to Stedelijk for the tribute, they reenacted one of the performances where I had to walk through the door with the naked man/woman, he started yelling ))
And that's what I love about her. One cannot keep indifferent, it does trigger a response within. Whatever it is :)
For some people, she's about being sick, needy, and exhibitionistic. For me, she's about bold experimentation with yourself which takes hell of a lot of gut. And if it was for fame in the first place, it's okay :)
Controversial person and choice made on what to do with one's life (I had the whole big discussion with my boyfriend and he got very emotional and was raising his voice while stating that she belongs to the mental house, that it's all for vanity and attention seeking, that by no means it's art, that's shes' a charlatan etc etc etc). When I told him that when I went to Stedelijk for the tribute, they reenacted one of the performances where I had to walk through the door with the naked man/woman, he started yelling ))
And that's what I love about her. One cannot keep indifferent, it does trigger a response within. Whatever it is :)
For some people, she's about being sick, needy, and exhibitionistic. For me, she's about bold experimentation with yourself which takes hell of a lot of gut. And if it was for fame in the first place, it's okay :)
dylangrrl's review against another edition
5.0
This is my new favorite memoir. Before I read this, all I knew of Abramovic was that she cut herself and called it performance art. Thought it might be an interesting read (listen in this case). Wow -- I was blow away by the strength and focus of this incredible woman. The balance between how she has lived her life as an artist and as a woman is both powerful and tender. She has a interesting sense of Slavic humor and tells jokes throughout the book. I know that listening to this was the right choice. To hear Abramovic herself read the story of her life was the best way it could be conveyed I think. The act of her reading to me is art in itself. Distinct, but not overwhelming Eastern European accent. However you decide -- consume this book!
goudvis888's review against another edition
5.0
‘Then I woke up and the reality of the dream was stronger than the reality of the day.’