Marina Abramović The Artist Is Present- Portraits (Set) at the MoMA The Museum of Modern Art, New York City

She sits, stares and cries while the people have a chance to sit, stare and cry with her, or at her depending. Their photos are taken by Photographer Marco Anelli he has been creating portraits of the participants for MoMa and uploading them to a MoMA set on Flickr account under each photo the time the person sat with Marina is listed. There are 759 photos. MoMa has provided a website in which you can watch a live stream of her performing.

Okay laugh. I did when I first read about this art piece. “ She’s crazy! Did someone really pay her for this?” Than I went to the site and sat with the pieces, and came to the conclusion she is a genius. You may not agree but I bet you will not be able to look away from these people. Marina captures them and us.  

Marina explores the human capacity to feel and manipulates the evolutionary bond we humans have as social creatures who have spent millennia living together in groups, to recognize, respond and mimic feelings in each other. These people are Marina’s living clay, she molds and captures for all the world to see. Some people come back again and again for days in a row so moved are they by this instillation. You can watch all of this from the comfort of your laptop. 

As a writer I love to people watch, but I think this is common for all of us. We like to know what is going on in the world around us and as social beings we look to others first for clues as to what is happening in the here and now. This information is passed from one person to another so subtly we often are not aware it is happening.  Something in the way a woman walking with her shopping down the street tells you if the street is safe. Or the way a man waiting for the bus perhaps tells you about his day.

I sat with a cup of coffee and some Beatles on my iPod, and was moved to tears and at the end felt more connected with the world. Considering I was all alone in my office.

It is an interesting piece and I highly recommend you check it out and really give it a try. Grab a cup of coffee or tea and take a few minutes to sit with some New Yorkers as Marina tells us a story through their faces.

Keep in mind, “Art is in the eye of the beholder.”  It is in you to take as much or as little you want from this. If you are uncomfortable staring at someone’s photo, maybe instead of simply clicking on the next photo. Sit as Marina asks; and stare, and ask yourself why?  You might be surprise yourself.