Footage has emerged that captures a performance artist in an emotionally charged encounter with her former boyfriend, described by many as ‘powerful’ and ’emotional’.
Marina Abramović, a renowned performance artist, is famous for her boundary-pushing art pieces, including one in which she permitted people to do anything to her as part of an art installation.
This particular piece involved exploring both physical and mental limits, providing profound insights into human psychology and our connections with each other and the world.
Recently, a poignant video from her 2010 art piece “The Artist Is Present” at New York’s Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) has resurfaced. In this piece, she engaged with strangers across a table over two and a half months.
However, in one memorable instance, the person sitting across from her was not a stranger at all.
She was face to face with Ulay, whose real name is Frank Uwe Laysiepen and who was her former partner.
Footage available on YouTube shows their reunion after a tumultuous relationship, and art enthusiasts have described it as ‘intense’, with some admitting it brought them to tears.
Abramović and Ulay collaborated on one of the most significant performance art pieces ever, ‘The Lovers’, where they walked towards each other from opposite ends of The Great Wall of China.
The original plan was for them to marry at the Buddhist temple at Erlang Shen upon meeting in the middle.
Unfortunately, the process took so long that by their meeting in June 1988, their relationship had ended. To make matters more complicated, Ulay had moved on with a new partner and was expecting a child.
More than two decades later, they were face to face once more.
In the video, Abramović initially appears surprised before offering a smile to her former lover. Ulay becomes visibly emotional, shedding tears as they gaze at each other.
Their encounter concludes with Ulay reaching out, and Abramović holds his hands as they seemingly exchange whispers.
The emotional moment prompted applause from observers at the museum, after which Abramović had to regain her composure for the next participant.
Comments on the YouTube clip of their interaction at MoMA were filled with emotion. One viewer remarked: “For me, the most powerful thing is that this is what broke her. This is a woman who her sat still and unperturbed while she was stabbed, burned, deprived, literally tortured, in the name of her art, and the thing that breaks her artistic trance isn’t pain or fear or depravation, it’s love and loss.”
Another shared a similar sentiment, stating: “Such an intense moment that anybody who has loved and lost can relate to.”
“Makes me cry too and smile at the same time. Isn’t it wonderful how we people connect to each other?” commented another user.
Someone else added: “A heavy, heavy scene. Emotional and beautiful.”