implicit art

Don’t get me wrong; Paolo Canevari is cool – and certainly his work is tight – but MA does a whole lot more for me.

For those of you who don’t know, this dynamic duo is opening a show of installation, performance, and video over at the Johannesburg Art Gallery, this Sunday at 6pm (opened by original SA art bad boy, Kendell Gears). Marina was a pioneer of performance in the 70s (80s, 90s, beyond), and is still making brilliant work to date. Over the past two days, she and Paolo have given public talks at the JAG (also supported by Linda Givon of the Goodman Gallery).

Eish, it was inspired.

I’m not sure if it was her integrity of purpose, her openness around support and importance of the art-making process, the maternal nature of her teaching, her large body of work that is, and was, gut-wrenchingly powerful, or the fact that she managed to remain dead sexy in over 30 years of performance art – but she is my new hero.

MA’s three rules for artists (this formed just a small piece of a small part of a small section of a vast and wonderful lecture/performance. Marina – forgive me if I get these a li’l wrong, ok? Oh, and gimme a call some time soon, won’t you? Smooch!):

1. art should be disturbing
2. art should ask questions
3. art should predict the future (she also seemed to allude that it might also/instead transform or change the future/present)

We saw protest art and damage; love affairs and fear; dangerous performance in trances; re-directed/re-mixed autobiographical theatre; quotes from her friend John Cage (I shit you not); personal, hierarchical, theatrical, hyperreal… what a prolific artist, amazing teacher, caring person with the utmost integrity.

Above is a pick of the break-up of MA with her 12-year lover and collaborator, Ulay – they each walked half the length of the Great Wall of China to say goodbye to one another.

So much great art, so small a blog/blogger; marina mentioned teaching, and a performance group in NYC she seems to mentor at – anyone know how I can get into that school / group? I’m so totally there.

Be sure not to miss the opening on Sunday!