Until January 20, 2019, Palazzo Strozzi is hosting Italy’s first major retrospective exhibition dedicated to Marina Abramović, one of the most celebrated figures on the contemporary artistic scene. She’s a formidable and controversial figure who revolutionized the idea of “performance,” involving her own body in her works, testing its limits and expressive potential. 

Marina Abramović. The Cleaner is the fruit of a direct collaboration with the artist and is part of a series of exhibitions dedicated to major figures from the contemporary art world, including Ai Weiwei (2016), Bill Viola (2017) and Carsten Höller (2018). Once again, some 100 works will be distributed across the piano nobile, the Strozzina undercroft and the courtyard, transforming the palace into a unified space. The works offer a panoramic overview of the artist’s most famous pieces from her long career, spanning the 1960s to the present day.  

You’ll be able to enjoy the first Palazzo Strozzi exhibition dedicated to a woman artist, the most important representative of performance art. Expect an immersive narrative highlighting the relationship between Marina Abramović and Italy, the setting for some of her most memorable performances, which will be recreated in the exhibition. 

With her fundamental contributions to the evolution of contemporary art, Marina Abramović is an artist who defined an era. Reflecting on her own life, she drew attention to crucial themes that affect all of us, interpreting the present. 

Visiting the exhibition, you’ll get to experience firsthand a range of “re”-performances that will be staged daily in the various spaces of Palazzo Strozzi. Bringing them to life will be a group of hand-selected performers who have trained specifically for this exhibition; you’ll get a chance to dip your toes in experiences that make the exhibition a true “living experiment.”

Marina Abramović. The Cleaner offers a unique chance to discover the complexity of her art through works that range from strong, violent and risky acts to exchanges of gestural and silent energy, to true firsthand encounters with audiences. In recent years, audience involvement has become more and more centric to Abramović’s work. 

 

In keeping with the tradition of past exhibitions, Palazzo Strozzi will offer visitors the opportunity to book special guided visits.  

For families with children ages 3 to 6: Magic objects on October 17, November 7, December 19, and January 16 from 5 to 6pm.