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Marina Abramovic meets Ulay

“Marina Abramovic and Ulay started an intense love story in the 70s, performing art out of the van they lived in. When they felt the relationship had run its course, they decided to walk the Great Wall of China, each from one end, meeting for one last big hug in the middle and never seeing each other again. at her 2010 MoMa retrospective Marina performed ‘The Artist Is Present’ as part of the show, a minute of silence with each stranger who sat in front of her. Ulay arrived without her knowing it and this is what happened.”

This is amazing.

WHEN THEY FELT THE RELATIONSHIP HAD RUN ITS COURSE, THEY DECIDED TO WALK THE GREAT WALL OF CHINA, EACH FROM ONE END, MEETING FOR ONE LAST BIG HUG IN THE MIDDLE AND NEVER SEEING EACH OTHER AGAIN.

THAT IS HOW YOU DO IT.

I invited him to the performance because we shared 12 years of work, but I had no idea he was going to sit. So when he sat in front of me it was really so emotional, everybody could see because it was reflecting everything we went through together. In one of our performances, “The Night Sea Crossing,” we sat across from each other and he could not do it and I could. That’s why I replaced him with the public. I didn’t think he would ever sit in the chair opposite me, so when he did, I broke all the rules. I just thought that in that place at that moment there were no rules. I just needed to hold his hand and feel togetherness in that moment, which was very emotional.