abramovic/ulay: sublimation: me/you

"To date no other known artists have so intricately entwined their own lives with the works which they create. Hardly any transformation into another medium occurs. A heightened form of reality is the medium.

What once had been thought of as a fitting place for a Chinese marriage ceremony turned out to be the setting for a separation. They would henceforth go their own ways.

Whereas their performances initially arose from their reciprocal attachment, now they are inclined to relate individually to elements in other cultures. Each possesses the potential to process a relation into a form of expression. Their attention has been diverted progressively from each other to the world outside." Dorine Mignot

The function of Lovers in the Concept of Conjunction

Born November 30, 1946, 1943

The Brink

April 1979

European Dialogue, Third Biennale of Sydney

Art Gallery of New South Wales

Sydney

Ulay

I walk back and forht along the top of a wall.

Marina Abramovic

I walk back and forth along the shadow line of the wall as it fall on the ground.

The performance lasts until the sunlight diffuses the shadow-line.

"But the work reflected discontent, it was about art, society, politics. Most of all, we lent ourselves to expressing the potentials and the inabilities of a relationship.

I think it was most unfortuante since so many people supported our ideas and work. But what were we to do? Forgive each other and work on our personal relationship for art's sake? We haven't done that"