Rhythm 0, 1974

A sign instructed the audience, which read; ‘There are 72 objects on the table that one can use on me as desired. I am the object. During this period I take full responsibility.’ The objects varied; some were simply nice, feminine objects such as flowers or perfume that could give pleasure, while others were harmful and could be wielded to inflict pain upon her. Among them were nails, a hammer, a knife, a saw, and most notoriously a gun with a single bullet placed next to it on the table. This performance was to last 6 hours and the artist to remain impassive and silent throughout. At the beginning, the public acted cautiously, waiting for someone to make the first move and when the first member of the audience reacted, it was with modesty. However as time went on and Marina remained detached, some began to act more aggressively. They started to use the more harmful objects, looking at and wounding the vulnerable women in front of them as though she herself had become a mere object for their use. With this powerful performance Marina undoubtedly tested the physical and psychological limits of herself and her audience. As she described this experience later: “The experience I learned was that…if you leave decision to the public, you can be killed.”… “I felt really violated: they cut my clothes, stuck rose thorns in my stomach, one person aimed the gun at my head, and another took it away. It created an aggressive atmosphere. After exactly 6 hours, as planned, I stood up and started walking toward the public. Everyone ran away, escaping an actual confrontation.”