Marina Abramović Makes History with Venice Biennale Solo Show at Gallerie dell'Accademia

Marina Abramović, who won the Golden Lion in 1997 for Balkan Baroque, is now the first living female artist to have a solo exhibition at the Gallerie dell'Accademia in Venice. The show, titled Transforming Energy, runs from May 6 to October 19 and features interactive works installed alongside the museum's permanent collection. Abramović juxtaposes her 1983 photograph Pietá (with Ulay) with Titian's unfinished Pietá (1575-76). Visitors are invited to engage with transitory objects like crystal-embedded stone beds and a three-color panel meditation work. No telephones are allowed, headphones are provided, and Abramović expects visitors to spend at least three hours. She emphasizes audience participation, stating 'the public is absolutely fed up of just looking.' The exhibition includes a work dedicated to John Cage with metronomes moving every 14 seconds. Abramović describes the show as her legacy, focused on a young generation of spectators.