Performance Art As Life And Death: Marina Abramovic’s Masterclass At Kochi-Muziris Biennale

Over the years, that curiosity grew into a connection—into repeated visits, spiritual inquiry, and a sustained engagement with the country’s spiritual quest. Abramovic spoke about visiting Gaya, but was alarmed at what she called India’s drift towards Western culture. She explained the pains she took to treat performance as an art. “Almost six decades I strived to convince the world that performance is art.” She said. The statement did not carry bitterness; it carried endurance. Behind it lay years of testing the body, confronting institutions, and standing alone in rooms where silence was both medium and message.