I remember when there were people going to MOMA in droves to sit across from some artist I'd never heard of. I heard people say it was a very moving experience. It sounded nuts to me. So I was curious to see if I could get a sense of what it was all about from this movie.I suppose I did, a little bit. The movie is made by people who want to be a bit artsy about it all, with jump shots and some shaky camera-work, but it does give you the basics. Marina is a long-time performance artist who specializes in feats of endurance, like running repeatedly into a wall or sitting naked on a bicycle seat for hours. She is very sincere, very determined, and seems to be someone who lives her art. There are scenes of her with her ex-partner/lover in which she is driving and cooking dinner which give you a glimpse into the mundane aspects of life that even those living for their art experience.Most of the second half of the movie is devoted to her three months sitting staring at people who stare back. You see how physically grueling the experience is, you see how moved many people are, and you say how insane things got, with people camping out all night, desperate to get in early enough to spend some time having a famous artist stare at them.The movie doesn't really recreate the experience. It's rather glossy at times, with a soundtrack that I'm sure creates a different experience than what I assume was simply the buzz of the crowd and the noise from any video projections nearby. I'm amazed that some people here said they were moved by this movie. It's an interesting view of a performance artist, offering occasional mild insights from her friends and giving some understanding of her approach.I'm also surprised that some people expected more of this movie, like a complete investigation of her career, or questions into how performance art fits into the art world. The movie is called The Artist is Present, and it's focused on that show, and that piece, and it's by someone who clearly buys into performance artist (I've always thought this sort of thing was interesting but kooky). It's exactly the sort of documentary I would expect someone who is intrigued by Marina would be inclined to make.The movie absolutely did not make me wish I'd gone up to MOMA to stare at her, although it makes me feel, just a little, that maybe I should have gone up to see the recreations of her previous pieces and take a quick peek at her face-offs. But it's not something I'm losing sleep over.

This documentary is so powerful to me. I had never been introduced to this type of art before and made me realize how important it is to have an open mind when your goal in life is to discover, learn and connect. For example, one of the landmark pieces Marina is known for is where she sits in front of someone for an incredibly long time, day after day, for weeks, months. I looked at this and was struck with thoughts dominated by puzzlement and judgement. It was weird and silly to me, until I let myself think about it. Think about where the artist is coming from. I thought about my own situation where looking people in the eyes is incredibly difficult and the idea of coming to a space where this woman is sitting, taking a seat in front her, then meeting her eyes became profound. It also made it clear to me that sometimes in order to appreciate something so radically different from what a person is used to or familiar with, the time in a person's life, what has come before, and what a person is tuned in to all become so vital in the outcome of whether the person listens, or immediately dismisses. I was able to let myself make a connection with what it is Marina is trying to do with her art and it came alive for me, all at once. The documentary itself is beautifully done, you can tell it was a production made with love and devotion to its subject. It goes into Marina's history in performance art through interviews and old footage, and is framed by the massive preparations for a show held at the Museum of Modern Art in New York City. One of my new favorite documentaries. http://funkyforestfirstcontact.wordpress.com/

I have heard of Marina Abramovic but didn't know much about her and was scared it would all be a bit pretentious or she wouldn't be any good or to my taste, (even though I like modern art, but not all of it of course) but I found her truly inspiring, not only that but she is truly down to earth and real, she truly believes in her work and went to great lengths for her art and still does, her life story is telling of this and very engrossing. The exercises she puts the young people through whom she entrusts with reproducing her work for her exhibition, also shows just how much she digs into her own being to give back to others in her art and to her students. I guess I was scared performance art wouldn't live up to what I expected it to be. Whether or not you appreciate her art is not really the point to me, although many people do, it's more important that it comes from a genuine place and that to me makes is true expression, you cannot argue with that. The most touching part of the documentary for me however, was definitely her piece for the exhibition. Marina sat in a chair (initially with a table in between her and the person) in silence for three months, only looking up when a member of the public sat in a chair opposite her. This is no easy feat if you consider we can't even be still for 5mins without back pain or needing to check our iPhones. The intensity and genuine affection/serenity/love and calm she gives each and every individual is deeply moving. She gives each person the attention they deserve, it moved me to tears several times, as it did some of the people sitting opposite her. It made me question just how much we truly "see" each others, or even whether we even really try often enough, how much do we truly care about someones true self and feelings, how many times do we get that attention from someone else, how many lonely people there are in the world. It also made me consider what true connection, love and acceptance can do for the human soul and for the serenity of the world in general and that we are all seeking love. The power of Buddhism and it's principles really do come to light in her work in a very real way. It's made me want to be more accepting of others and myself, it's also made me realise just how deep the need for connection truly goes. Her observation that she becomes someone's mirror and that she can feel people's pain and feelings in a gaze, was telling. I now understand even more deeply how important my need for connection truly is and how it affects me emotionally. Connecting to yourself, others and your "art" or whatever makes you happy is more important than ever in this super busy hyper world, be still and re-focus :)

As we move around the world, giving only the attention we can spare to the people we love and less to the people we don't know, it is easy to forget that every living being needs our whole focus when asked for it. I've never been a big fan of performance art -- ambivalent, really -- but this piece, by the end, had me sitting on the edge of my bed with tears rolling down my cheeks as I marveled at the simplicity and perfection of the final exhibition at MoMA. What a beautiful soul. So affecting just to see on a small TV screen, I can't imagine having been there, personally, to witness it.Ms. Abramovic has tested the limits of her stamina, her courage, her nature and her ability to express love, unconditionally, throughout her life as an artist. Watching her give to strangers what we so selfishly horde from our most intimate kin, was inspiring. Genuine art touches you and leaves a mark. You may be enraged, uncomfortable, disgusted, enamored, in awe... whatever the impact, art makes you FEEL. If it doesn't make you feel, it's just decoration. Marina Abramovic's work -- it really makes you feel.Thank you, Ms. Abramovic.