Marina Abramović captures the heart of Zurich, shaking it up, forcing it to swerve, and making it beat at full speed. The Serbian artist occupies the Kunsthaus Zürich until February 16, 2025, with an exhibition that promises to leave a lasting impression. Known for her live “long-durational performances” that explore physical and mental limits, Hurricane Marina powerfully seizes visitors, plunging them into a deep introspection about human nature.
“Marina Abramović: Retrospective” offers a comprehensive look at the artist’s 55 years of artistic creation. Videos, photographs, sculptures, drawings, and above all, some of her most iconic performances are presented in this first major Swiss retrospective.
Freeing the Memory. Marina Abramović. 1975. Kunsthaus Zürich © Photo by Stéphanie Courtines
Performed in Naples in 1974, the highly controversial “Rhythm 0” was one of her earliest artistic performances. For six hours, Abramović presented herself as a passive object at the public’s disposal. The artist placed herself next to a table on which 72 objects were laid out. Visitors were allowed to use them on her in any way they wished. Gradually the performance turned into an invasive and violent act, up to the point where someone pointed a loaded gun at her. Through this work, which profoundly marked contemporary art, Abramović exposed the human propensity for cruelty, especially when individuals are absolved of direct responsibility for their actions.
Marina Abramović: “The function of the artist in a disturbed society is to give awareness of the universe, to ask the right questions, and to elevate the mind.”
Light Dark. Marina Abramović. 1978. Kunsthaus Zürich © Photo by Stéphanie Courtines
Together with Ulay, her life partner, Abramović pushed the boundaries of what art can endure or exhibit. Thus, through the exhibition, visitors are confronted with the images of the artist screaming to the point of exhaustion, brushing her hair with terrible enthusiasm, and submitting to the blind risk of having her heart pierced by an arrow tensioned on a bow by her partner. This raw and brutal approach defined Abramović’s artistic conception, allowing her to communicate powerful messages without artifice.
Daughter of the communist regime, Abramović casts a critical eye on society. Born in Belgrade in 1946, she conveyed a powerful political message at the 1997 Venice Biennale. Her work, “Balkan Baroque”, which won her the Golden Lion for Best Artist, confronted the audience with a mountain of bloodied cattle bones, illustrating the brutality of the Balkan war conflicts. For four days, Abramović was meticulously cleaning these bones: an attempt at symbolic purification in the face of the horrors of war.
Marina Abramović : “My work is immaterial. It’s not painting, it’s not sculpture, it’s emotions. I’m giving you something to experience yourself.”
Rest Energy. Marina Abramović. 1980. Kunsthaus Zürich © Photo by Stéphanie Courtines
In the second part of her career, especially after a poignant farewell to Ulay on the Great Wall of China in 1988, Abramović turned towards deeper and more poised introspection. Her contact with nature, light, and the energy of stones enriched her work with a new strength, offering a reflection on the capacity of art to heal and renew.
From this period emerged the “Abramović Method”, a series of techniques and exercises designed to help participants explore the limits of their bodies and minds. The “Decompression Chamber” specifically designed for Zurich exemplifies this approach. Lying on lounge chairs and equipped with noise-canceling headphones, visitors are invited to pause, decompress, and discover new ways to connect with themselves and others.
Relation in Time. Marina Abramović. 1977. Kunsthaus Zürich © Photo by Stéphanie Courtines
Marina Abramović — this intense and vibrant soul, a blend of discipline and madness — explores and transforms the perception of art and life through experiences that are both direct and deeply personal. At the Kunsthaus Zürich, her style and imprint provoke a lot, but also highlight the beauty of rebirth, the overcoming of fear, and the collapse of limits.
The Artist is Present. Marina Abramović. 2010. Kunsthaus Zürich © Photo by Stéphanie Courtines
Balkan Baroque. Marina Abramović. 1997. Kunsthaus Zürich © Photo by Stéphanie Courtines
The Hero. Marina Abramović. 2001. Kunsthaus Zürich © Photo by Stéphanie Courtines
Sleeping Under the Banyan Tree. Marina Abramović. 2010. Kunsthaus Zürich © Photo by Stéphanie Courtines
The Kitchen — Carrying the Milk. Marina Abramović. 2009. Kunsthaus Zürich © Photo by Stéphanie Courtines