Marina Abramovic on a white horse holding a flag in The Hero, exhibited at Moco Museum Amsterdam.

Marina Abramović in Amsterdam

Contemporary Artist

A Life of Art, Endurance and Transformation

Marina Abramović is globally recognised as one of the most legendary performance artists of all time. With a career spanning over four decades, she has redefined what it means to be a performance artist by using her own body as a medium to test physical and emotional boundaries.

Marina Abramovic with Kim, founder of Moco Museum, during her visit to Moco Museum Amsterdam.
Early Interest in Performance Art

Born in 1946 in Belgrade, Yugoslavia, to Abramović’s parents, Vojin and Danica, both of whom served in the Second World War, she grew up in an environment of discipline and complete military-style control. Abramović refers to this strict upbringing as the source of her resilience and fascination with physical and mental purification.

Formative Years under Mother’s Strict Supervision

Raised under her mother’s strict supervision, Marina could only return home by 10 p.m. each night, even into her late 20s. This structure, combined with a deeply religious household, influenced her artistic identity and emotional and spiritual transformation through performance.

Studying Fine Arts and the Shift to Body Art

Initially, Abramović enjoyed painting and was formally accepted into the Academy of Fine Arts in Belgrade. However, her path quickly shifted from traditional fine arts to performance art, ignited by a desire to explore the boundaries of the human body and mind.

First solo performances and iconic work

In her first solo performances, Abramović tackled extreme bodily pain and mental strain. Notably, in Rhythm 0 (1974), she invited the audience to use 72 objects on her body—including a loaded gun—without resistance. This performance piece shocked the art world, highlighting the most horrible moment in which a viewer held a gun to her head.

Balkan Baroque and the horrors of war

Abramović’s Balkan Baroque (1997) won the Golden Lion at the Venice Biennale and addressed the Yugoslav Wars. Sitting on a pile of bloody cow bones, she scrubbed them for days while singing folk songs—a searing statement on confronting pain, own mortality, and cultural trauma.

The Artist is Present: a modern masterpiece

One of her most iconic performances, The Artist is Present (2010) at the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York, involved sitting silently across from strangers for 736 hours (the duration of her retrospective exhibition on display at the museum). The silent eye contact created intimate emotional exchanges that resonated deeply with visitors.

A Major Solo Exhibition at the Royal Academy

The Royal Academy in London hosted a major solo exhibition in 2023—a landmark moment as Marina became the first female artist to exhibit in its main galleries. This major exhibition traced her journey from early solo performances to her most ambitious, recent works.

The Hero at Moco Museum Amsterdam

At Moco Museum Amsterdam, visitors can witness The Hero (2002) —a tribute to her father, Vojin Abramović, a World War II hero. Abramović sits on a white horse, holding a white flag, evoking themes of surrender, peace, and moral courage. The performance revisits Abramović’s parental home memories, fusing personal grief with global symbolism.

The Hero 25FPS and Blockchain Innovation

Abramović adapted The Hero into The Hero 25FPS, a groundbreaking NFT collection on the Tezos blockchain. Divided into thousands of unique digital frames, this extension into new platforms shows her continued drive for spiritual journey and projects supporting contemporary access to art.

Founding the Marina Abramović Institute

In 2012, she launched the Marina Abramović Institute, a non-profit foundation focused on the preservation and research of performance art. The institute also supports art lessons, workshops, and projects supporting emerging artists interested in the legacy of endurance art.

Collaborations in Pop and Fashion Culture

Marina has worked with artists like Lady Gaga and designers such as Riccardo Tisci. These collaborations demonstrate how her performance art intersects with popular culture, expanding its reach and relevance to newer audiences.

Spiritual Transformation through Art

Abramović’s work consistently reflects themes of spiritual transformation, endurance, and self-discovery.

Crossing the Great Wall: A Symbolic Separation

A deeply emotional performance piece, The Lovers (1988) saw Marina and Ulay walk from opposite ends of the Great Wall of China to meet in the middle, where they ended their romantic and artistic partnership—a metaphor for connection, separation, and transformation.

Current Legacy at Moco Museum

Today, Moco Museum Amsterdam houses The Hero as part of its Moco Masters exhibition. Through this tribute and many more, Abramović invites visitors to discover her legacy, her pain, and her call for universal healing.

Educational Influence and Visiting Professorships

Marina Abramović has also served as a visiting professor at institutions such as the Berlin University of the Arts and continues to lecture around the globe. Her artistic identity and theories on mental endurance and self-discovery are widely studied by art critics, students, and distinguished intellectuals.

Why you should visit Marina Abramović at Moco

This exhibition is a must-see for those interested in contemporary art, performance art, and the intersections of tradition, technology, and humanity. Marina Abramović’s work stands as a testament to how one female artist can challenge the very notion of what art is.

Marina Abramovic with Kim, founder of Moco Museum, during her visit to Moco Museum Amsterdam. TIME magazine mirror artwork by Mungo Thomson with visitors posing at Moco Museum Amsterdam. Visitors admiring vibrant floral digital room at Moco Museum Amsterdam. Colorful Takashi Murakami sculptures displayed at Moco Museum Amsterdam. Large Takashi Murakami artwork featuring Mickey Mouse at Moco Museum Amsterdam. Banksy’s graffiti of a soldier with a smiley face mask and red paint at Moco Museum Amsterdam

Reviews

  • 4.5 uit 5 sterren
    Rated 4.5/5
    6M+ visitors worldwide
  • 5 uit 5 sterren
    Allegra P.
    I visited the museum for the second time. This time, it was richer in artworks, and the temporary exhibition by Robbie Williams really made a difference, raising strong awareness around the topic of mental health. It’s an exhibition that sparks a lot of reflection on current issues.
  • 5 uit 5 sterren
    Theo C.
    Enjoyed this museum more than I expected. Definitely worth the visit and experience. It's not huge, but it is immersive in parts and contemporary art is inspiring. Go, check it out.
  • 5 uit 5 sterren
    Laura B.
    The museum was spectacular! I highly recommend it – it's incredible. The girl at the reception was super friendly, and the museum features a great variety of artists.

Practical Information

  • Open Hours

    Monday – Sunday: 09:00 – 20:00

  • Duration

    Approximately 60 minutes.

  • Location

    Honthorststraat 20, Amsterdam (Museum Square). Get directions via this link.

  • Contact

    Do you have a question? Click here to chat with us (available Monday-Friday from 10:00 – 16:00)
    Or email us at [email protected].
    For all other inquiries see here.

  • Audio Guide

    Don’t forget to bring your headphones to access the free audio tour.

Media Reviews

  • Condé Nast Traveler
    This edgy contemporary art venue boasts an impressively large Banksy collection.
  • Tripadvisor
    With a surprise at every corner and colourful, immersive art installations, Moco Museum is the perfect place to visit with family, and equally the perfect place to visit with friends.
  • Amsterdam Local Gems
    Personal experiences can vary, but many visitors find the museum surprisingly engaging. The atmosphere is relaxed, making it a great spot for both art aficionados and those just looking to enjoy something different.

"We are actually living in a million parallel realities every single minute."

Marina Abramović

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