SummarySeductive, fearless, and outrageous, Marina Abramovic has been redefining what art is for nearly forty years. Using her own body as a vehicle, pushing herself beyond her physical and mental limits––and at times risking her life in the process––she creates performances that challenge, shock, and move us. Through her and with her, boundaries are cr... Read More
Directed By:Matthew Akers, Jeff Dupre
Marina Abramovic: The Artist Is Present
Metascore
Generally Favorable
74
User score
Generally Favorable
7.6
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Top Cast
Metascore
Generally Favorable
74
78% Positive
14 Reviews
14 Reviews
22% Mixed
4 Reviews
4 Reviews
0% Negative
0 Reviews
0 Reviews
Jun 12, 2012
100
Rare is the profile that captures so much oddness with so little judgment. You owe yourself a chance to be challenged.
Jun 15, 2012
88
The second half offers shot after shot of the people who sat opposite Abramovi - an unexpectedly enthralling record of reactions that range from stark agony to rather phony amusement.
User score
Generally Favorable
7.6
83% Positive
15 Ratings
15 Ratings
11% Mixed
2 Ratings
2 Ratings
6% Negative
1 Rating
1 Rating
Sep 14, 2014
9
An intense, dramatic, inspiring and sometimes very funny documentary about a determined artist on her way to fame. The upcoming exhibition at MOMA works very well as a narrative frame and Ms. Abramovic is very open about her moments of success and failures. I liked the approachable nature of the whole production, not only for people interested in art, but for everyone who likes to draw inspiration from a successfull artist.
Aug 4, 2012
9
An emotionally powerful documentary with an amazing subject under it's spotlight. Having no knowledge of Abramovic before the film, and I'm sure the average cinema-goer probably hadn't heard of her either, she makes for a great example of what a true artist is. She is dedicated to her craft more than anyone I think I have ever known, pushing her body to the limits and testing her mental duration. She is a true original. The appeal of her performance art, simply sitting in a chair for eight-so-hours a day for months on end, is truly primal and it is amazing watching the reactions of those who attended MoMA. What I took from it, some people had life-changing experiences. You may find yourself in tears, near the end, as well. You will have to go in with an open mind, of course, because there's no doubt this will alienate some people. But if you do, 'The Artist is Present' will certainly be an emotional experience that will resonate long after viewing.
Jan 18, 2015
80
Matthew Akers’ document of the event skews close to hagiography but is consistently informative in charting Abramović’s career, and genuinely engaging thanks to his subject’s witty, unpretentious presence.
Sep 6, 2012
75
The oddest moment in this riveting documentary comes when Marina Abramovic, the performance artist, meets David Blaine, the illusionist.
Jun 12, 2012
70
An intelligent overview that makes a radical artist's work comprehensible to audiences with no previous awareness of her or her chosen path.
Jun 14, 2012
60
This trip through the seminal performance artist's (often literal) body of work is sometimes too cozy, yet Abramovic might argue that objectivity is impossible if truth is the destination.
Jun 12, 2012
60
Matthew Akers' film is a personally revealing look at an artist most famous for maintaining stone-faced silence for three months.
Jul 11, 2012
9
I rather stumbled upon this documentary, and was going to watch something completely different (not that there is anything like this, actually.) If you are an artist, someone who loves art, or just someone who can be fascinated people - you will be certainly fascinated by Marina Abramovich, the self descirbed grandmother of performance art. This is someone whom I have never heard of, not that I am in the habit of watching art documentaries, as my taste is usually far different. But I feel much richer for the experience that this documentary gave me, which as it turns out, is just the tip of the iceberg of this revolutionary artist. I am still at a loss for words, but if you have an open mind... see this documentary!
Nov 11, 2017
7
Intellectual or not, frankly this documentary is not only essential for Abramović's work, is also to give a dimension and understanding to what she is dedicated, the pieces to which she has dedicated her life to.
Undoubtedly art, its appreciation, its motives, its expressions and the way in which each artist composes it will depend a lot on the person who sees it and how that person feels it. It's a complicated issue without a doubt, but regardless of that, this documentary is very good on that topic.
Dec 9, 2014
7
A 2012 documentary about the 2010 retrospective exhibition “THE ARTIST IS PRESENT” held at MoMA, New York, by the Serbia-born Marina Abramovic, the performance-art spearhead, who has been active for over 40 years and namely the “grandmother of performance art”. continue reading my review on my blog, google "cinema omnivore", thanks
Production Company:
- Show of Force
- AVRO Close Up
- Dakota Group
Release Date:Jun 13, 2012
Duration:1 h 46 m
Awards
Cinema Eye Honors Awards, US
• 3 Nominations
News & Documentary Emmy Awards
• 1 Win & 2 Nominations
Berlin International Film Festival
• 1 Win & 1 Nomination
