Marina Abramović

Marina Abramović

Author: BBC Radio 4 October 11, 2025 Duration: 15:00

Marina Abramović is the self proclaimed ‘grandmother of performance art’. Her latest work, a reimagining of Slavic fertility rites, opened in Manchester earlier this week.

Notorious for committing extreme acts to her body, the Serbian first achieved fame with her “Rhythm 0” performance, where she stood still in a room and invited guests to do anything they liked to her. They removed her clothes, cut her neck and held a loaded gun to her head.

Many of her biggest works were made in collaboration with German artist Ulay, her one-time romantic partner. They ended their relationship in 1988 by walking from opposite ends of the Great Wall of China and meeting in the middle.

In 2010, she received international acclaim for her performance The Artist is Present. It saw her sit in a chair for eight hours a day, 6 days a week for three months. She invited anyone to sit across from her. It famously ended with Abramović reuniting with Ulay.

Mark Coles looks back at her career.

Production Presenter: Mark Coles Producers: Ben Cooper, Mhairi MacKenzie and Alex Loftus Editor: Justine Lang Sound Editor: Duncan Hannant

Archive Abramović/ Ulay - Light/ Dark (1977) Abramović/ Ulay - AAA-AAA (1978) The Artist is Present trailer (2012) TED Talk - An Art Made of Trust, Vulnerability and Connection (2013) BBC - This Cultural Life: Marina Abramović (2024) Marina Abramović at Glastonbury (2024) Abramović - Balkan Erotic Epic (2025)


Each week, Profile from BBC Radio 4 takes a single name from the global conversation and builds a detailed portrait, moving far beyond the headlines. This isn't a simple biography or a news recap. Instead, through careful documentary storytelling and personal journal excerpts where available, the podcast constructs a nuanced examination of character and motive. You’ll hear from colleagues, critics, and sometimes the subjects themselves, piecing together what drives and defines the people shaping our world. The focus rests firmly on influence, whether in politics, the arts, science, or social movements, exploring how an individual's background and choices ripple through society and culture. Listening to this podcast feels like gaining a deeper, more textured understanding of the figures you think you know, revealing the contradictions and convictions behind the public image. It’s a thoughtful half-hour that challenges first impressions, asking what truly lies behind a name in the news.
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