A film and artist, both completely lacking self-awareness, attempt to tell a dramatic love story several decades in the making. Marina Abramovic is a very conceited person with an overwhelming sense of self-importance. She stages an elaborate art exhibit where celebrities and other famous people are invited to stare at her for an extended period in an effort to generate an emotional response. The true goal of the project is to reignite a romantic relationship between Marina and her former lover, Ulay.
In order to prepare for the event, Marina gets a group of young, rich weirdos to partake in a nondescript weekend retreat at her mansion. Participants are subjected to prolonged staring contests, hand sorting multi-grain rice, and functioning as unpaid interns. In an ultimate display of power, Marina forces a full crew of unpaid workers to stand around endlessly while she sits expressionless in the center of a room, feeling out the space. She also has the volunteers build her a custom toilet that is not connected to any plumbing.
Ulay is also an artist that completely lacks self-awareness and has started referring to himself as "water." Marina and Ulay had a relationship in the 1970's until she decided that breaking up would make for a nice performance art piece. The idea was that they would start on opposite ends of the Great Wall of China, walk towards each other, and break up when they met in the middle. Ulay agreed to the performance but never walked the wall, leaving Marina to walk the entire length on her own. When Ulay and Marina finally reunite during "The Artist is Present" exhibit the mood is laughably flaccid.
Marina and the filmmakers thought they were documenting the staging of her performance art exhibit, when in actuality they were documenting what happens when two generationally-rich socialites are surrounded by nothing but sycophants. Highly recommended for a good laugh.
In order to prepare for the event, Marina gets a group of young, rich weirdos to partake in a nondescript weekend retreat at her mansion. Participants are subjected to prolonged staring contests, hand sorting multi-grain rice, and functioning as unpaid interns. In an ultimate display of power, Marina forces a full crew of unpaid workers to stand around endlessly while she sits expressionless in the center of a room, feeling out the space. She also has the volunteers build her a custom toilet that is not connected to any plumbing.
Ulay is also an artist that completely lacks self-awareness and has started referring to himself as "water." Marina and Ulay had a relationship in the 1970's until she decided that breaking up would make for a nice performance art piece. The idea was that they would start on opposite ends of the Great Wall of China, walk towards each other, and break up when they met in the middle. Ulay agreed to the performance but never walked the wall, leaving Marina to walk the entire length on her own. When Ulay and Marina finally reunite during "The Artist is Present" exhibit the mood is laughably flaccid.
Marina and the filmmakers thought they were documenting the staging of her performance art exhibit, when in actuality they were documenting what happens when two generationally-rich socialites are surrounded by nothing but sycophants. Highly recommended for a good laugh.