Ulay and Marina Abramovićs Imponderabilia (1977) © Marina Abramović. Courtesy Lisson Gallery
Marina Abramovićs famed performance Imponderabilia is to be recreated at Londons Royal Academy of Arts (RA) next year. First performed in 1977 in Bologna, it originally involved Abramović, naked, standing in a fairly narrow gallery entrance directly opposite her then partner, the German artist Ulay (Frank Uwe Laysiepen). The performance was recreated at New Yorks Museum of Modern Art in 2010.
Visitors had to decide whether to squeeze almost sideways past the two bodies, and if so whether to face the male or female figure (both males and females generally preferred to face the female performer). Alternatively, visitors could pass through another open entrance with easy access.
Marina Abramović and Ulay discuss the performance Imponderabilia (1977) Courtesy of Louisiana Museum of Modern Art
Abramović, who split up from Ulay in 1988 and will turn 74 during the show, will be in London for the duration of the exhibition but will not personally recreate the performance. According to Tim Marlow, the RAs artistic director, they will recruit a group of “young people” who will take over one of the two entrances of the exhibition for the duration of the 10-week show. They will be trained by Abramović on how to deal with the public brushing against their naked bodies. Queues Read More – Source
