Marina Abramović's The Cleaner Retrospective at Palazzo Strozzi

The exhibition 'Marina Abramović. The Cleaner' opened at Palazzo Strozzi in Florence on September 20, 2018, showcasing over 100 works spanning the artist's 50-year career. The retrospective occupies three distinct spaces: the Piano Nobile, the Strozzina, and the Courtyard, challenging the Renaissance context. It includes early works like 'Autoritratto' (1965) and the 'Truck Accident' and 'Clouds' series, as well as iconic performances such as 'Rhythm' series, 'Feeding the Voice', and 'Lips of Thomas'. Live re-performances of pieces like 'Imponderabilia' and 'Cleaning the Mirror' are enacted by young artists. The exhibition features 'The Lovers', where Abramović and Ulay walked the Great Wall of China from opposite ends, meeting in the middle to end their relationship. Visitors can participate in 'Counting the Rice', an exercise from Abramović's 'Cleaning the House' method. During a talk at Teatro del Maggio Fiorentino, Abramović read her 'Manifesto' in Italian, stating 'The artist must not fall in love with another artist.' The exhibition was curated by Arturo Galansino, director of Palazzo Strozzi.