A major three-day performance art event, being curated by the distinguished performance artist Marina Abramovic, at the Irish Museum of Modern Art from 19 to 21 October 2001, is already almost fully booked. The event, entitled Marking the Territory, brings to Ireland some of the world’s leading exponents of current performance art practice ranging from Chiharu Shiota’s stunning installation, where the artist sleeps under a threaded mesh of wool and light, to Nedko Solakov’s two painters who endlessly follow each other around the gallery space, one painting the walls white and the other changing them to black. Each evening the focus will be on the stage in the Great Hall with individual performances from many internationally renowned artists, which will be introduced by Abramovic herself.
The programme comprises Abramovic’s personal selection of works by 23 artists from 16 countries which she sees as defining a new “territory” in the field of performance art: “I believe that at the present moment there is a strong need within contemporary culture, to express the immateriality which you can find in the direct energy and communicative force of performance. Marking the Territory is my attempt to give a direct and subjective view on the state of performance art today, through a selection of work by 23 artists whose work interests me and who I identify as addressing these current concerns and needs.”
Over the three days, a wide range of work will be presented in the North Wing of the Museum, from live performances on stage, to video installations and artists’ interventions. At 6.30pm on the evening before the event, Thursday 18 October, Marina Abramovic will give a lecture in the Edmund Burke Theatre, Trinity College, at which she will explain her approach to curating Marking the Territory and discuss her view of current performance art practice.
During the event a special menu of “spirit” food, devised by Abramovic, will be served in the Museum’s Grass Roots Café.
A video document will be available on VHS tape to mark the event. It will include an introduction by Marina Abramovic, interviews by the artists and video documentation of their work (price£9.99, €12.70)
The Museum is extremely grateful to the British Council, the Goethe Institut,
Panasonic Ireland and Pro Helvetia for the financial support of the exhibition,
and to the Grass Roots Café at IMMA, Temple Bar Properties, the History of Art
Department, Trinity College, Dublin, and the Office of Public Works for their
assistance with the event.
For further information and colour images please contact Philomena Byrne or
Monica Cullinane at Tel: +353-1-612 9900, Fax: +353-1-612 9999, email: [email protected]
3 October 2001