“So many expressions crossed the faces of those who sat. He looked for intensity. He looked for the moment when the person sitting was consumed by the indecipherable. He felt as if he was inside a world of raw truth. Who would have imagined there would be such faces? He had photographed architecture, history, musicians. Now, day after day, he looked into the human face, painted with curiosity, and saw the abyss of history within a human heart. Every one was its own beaten, salvaged, polished, engraved, carved, luminous form”
•
On January 1, 2021, I headed out to MONA in Tasmania with this book in my satchel, ready to start the year with the book I spent most of 2019 anticipating reading after falling in love with Heather Rose’s Bruny last year.
Little did I realise when I stood mesmerised by the video of an artist repetitively vigorously brushing her hair and face in ‘Art Must Be Beautiful Artist Must Be Beautiful’ that this was Marina Abramović, inspiration for this novel which was written by Rose in a studio within MONA itself.
•
This book is a work of art. It is beautiful, heart breaking, warming and thought provoking. I simply can not express how much I enjoyed this story, original and unlike anything I have read before.
•
The work centres around the Abramović exhibition titled ‘The Artist is Present’ at MoMA, New York City in 2010 and the people who sit with her over the 736 and a half hour performance.
•
This book got under my skin in a way that nothing has recently, reminding me to reflect in the stillness and revel in anticipation.
•
I recommend this book to everyone 💕