S6 EP7: Marina Abramovic on the relationship between performance and pain, never feeling loved in her childhood, and harmful conspiracies

For the final episode of this series, Louis travels to Manchester to sit down with Marina Abramovic, the self-proclaimed “grandmother of performance art”. Marina tells Louis the stories behind some of her most famous artworks, as well as the relationship between performance and pain, never feeling loved in her childhood, and being caught in the middle of an online conspiracy. Warnings: Strong language and adult themes. Links/Attachments: Balkan Erotic Epic, Marina Abramovic (2025) https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2025/may/22/manchester-to-host-world-premiere-of-marina-abramovics-balkan-erotic-epic The Artist is Present, Marina Abramovic (2010) https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2073029/ Lips of Thomas, Marina Abramovic (1975) https://www.guggenheim.org/artwork/5176 Rhythm 0, Marina Abramovic (1974) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xTBkbseXfOQ&list=PL0bCt-VbCH4N3823Lj7uNAFLiYDjSnbTp&index=1 Cut Piece, Yoko Ono (1964) https://www.moma.org/audio/playlist/15/373 Cut Piece, Yoko Ono (2005): https://www.theguardian.com/world/2003/sep/16/arts.france Bob Wilson’s Life and Death of Marina Abramovic, (2012) https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2177497/ Book: When Marina Abramovic Dies, James Westcott (2014) https://mitpress.mit.edu/9780262526814/when-marina-abramovic-dies/ Light – Dark, Ulay & Marina Abramovic (1978) https://www.stedelijk.nl/en/collection/13991-ulay-light-dark Seedbed, Vito Acconci (1972) https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/266876 Seven Easy Pieces, Marina Abramovic (2005) http://pastexhibitions.guggenheim.org/abramovic/ The Great Wall Walk, Marina Abramovic (1988) https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2020/apr/25/marina-abramovic-ulay-walk-the-great-wall-of-china Book: Walk Through Walls: A Memoir, Marina Abramovic (2016) https://www.waterstones.com/book/walk-through-walls/marina-abramovic/9780241974520 Balkan Baroque, Marina Abramovic (1997) https://www.singulart.com/blog/en/2024/06/03/balkan-baroque-by-marina-abramovic/?srsltid=AfmBOopPyXzjOP800ERQMaHvbiNNps0oMBOCmOKjWOhdpNt6X6kEvu2k https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UQigTZuTmv0 BBC Maestro, Marina Abramovic: https://www.bbcmaestro.com/courses/marina-abramovic/the-art-of-being-present Article: ‘Marina Abramovic Just Wants Conspiracy Theorists to Let Her Be’, New York Times, 2020 https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/21/arts/design/marina-abramovic-satanist-conspiracy-theory.html The Seven Deaths of Maria Callas (2022) https://www.harrisonparrott.com/news/2022-11-04/marina-abramovic-brings-the-seven-deaths-of-maria-callas-to-royal The Truth Vs Alex Jones (2024) https://tv.apple.com/gb/show/the-truth-vs-alex-jones/umc.cmc.1azsv881ew8mcjozutufy51vf Credits: Producer: Millie Chu Assistant Producer: Maan al-Yasiri Production Manager: Francesca Bassett Music: Miguel D’Oliveira Audio Mixer: Tom Guest Video Mixer: Scott Edwards Shownotes compiled by Elly Young Executive Producer: Arron Fellows A Mindhouse Production for Spotify www.mindhouse.co.uk Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices