In a rehearsal space in the city of Manchester, the celebrated artist savors a meal of succulent lamb and a homemade spread. The condiment, crafted with capsicums and garlic, is a handcrafted gift from a close companion. Her assistant, her supportive team member, prepares the food as Abramović offers a taste to visitors—a unexpectedly friendly welcome from the revered master of contemporary art.
The Balkan Erotic Epic
Named Balkan Erotic Epic, this upcoming performance is a extended production conceived and guided by the artist. Featuring more than seventy performers, dancers, and community participants, the performance depicts thirteen scenes inspired by historical rituals, traditions, and legends from Slavic heritage. A number of these scenes contain bare skin and direct eroticism rooted in narratives researched from throughout Southeastern Europe.
“My research revealed,” she explains, “that these traditional ceremonies related to agriculture, for births, for marriages, for funerals, with absolutely no exception, used the genitals—reproductive organs—through various methods.”
The performance will be supported with screens, film, audio, and cartoon visuals, filling the immense space of Aviva Studios. This project is referred to as the most significant in her career, with the goal of reconnecting with the history and understanding our present selves.
Intimate and Provocative
For Abramović, this show is deeply personal. Growing up in the Balkan region, now Serbia, the piece begins with the memorial of the communist figure and wraps up with marriage celebrations. Across these bookends, viewers will see a series of rituals, from females striking their chests in grief to bone characters performing and a massive sexual gathering.
“I expect a lot of criticism yet that demonstrates the issue—we deny our heritage,” she states.
Part of the acts are historical women warriors alongside males entering the earth as part of a fertility rite. A sensual duet between an Albanian and Serbian—historically “adversaries”—will be featured of the narrative. Additionally, a expectant mother will be soaked in milk in accordance with Romani tradition.
Symbolism and Spectacle
Among the most striking features is a “mushroom garden” populated by five-meter male symbols growing from the soil. Abramović points out one sculpture that evokes a long thin neck, calling it after the famous sculptor.
In her late seventies, Abramović is still approachable and uninhibited. Dressed in all-black attire with vibrant red polish, she radiates a ageless elegance. Questioned if she herself will be involved in the performance, she responds ambiguously, “I won’t confirm or deny: maybe, maybe not.”
Viewer Responses
The artist acknowledges that viewers in the UK may find the content shocking or scandalous. She recalls a previous experience in last year when a performance piece, including a bare duo in a entryway, provoked public discourse in the city. But she maintains that nudity carries a distinct power.
“The unclothed form holds immense strength since individuals feel fear, engaged, delighted and fascinated,” she comments. “Thus, I understand spectators seeing this over four hours will experience a wide range of feelings.”
In a preview of a funeral scene, emotions include grief and crying to affection and intimacy. That combination of aspects is central to the show, with scenes like the collective act featuring skeletons intertwining between human performers.
Performance Versus Exploitation
To those who might categorize the work as explicit content, Abramović emphatically disagrees. She argues that the practices are basic and earnest, exploring the anthropological roots. Female performers have even been directed not to remove hair from their natural growth for a quarter-year beforehand to reinforce the natural quality of the exhibition.
“In my view, these practices explore the history of human beings,” she elaborates. “It’s about humanity, not pornographic. That’s incredibly important.”
The idea for the piece essentially came from a counter to the detached depiction of intimacy in adult films. After creating a cinematic piece for an anthology titled Destricted in the mid-2000s, Abramović was invited to investigate explicit content in creative works. However she found this content extremely dull and uninspired, devoid of meaning.
Ancestral Practices
In lieu, she focused on mythology within Eastern European traditions. Certain rituals were unable to be staged physically due to their intense content, so they are conveyed through animated sequences. Examples include a 14th-century account from that country where a woman places a fish into her body overnight to make a romantic elixir. One more practice from historical Bosnia involves a man creating multiple apertures in a structure and inserting into each with his penis to prevent fertility issues.
Renewal and Change
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