Marina Abramović Stars at Alba Truffle Fair with Talk and Exhibition

Marina Abramović was the special guest at the Alba Truffle Fair, delivering a public talk at Teatro Sociale 'G. Busca' in Alba, Italy, on the evening of September 28, 2017. The event drew a large, diverse crowd that queued for hours. Abramović discussed the birth and evolution of performance art through her personal artistic journey, starting from Rhythm 10 (1973), her collaborations with former partner Ulay, to recent works like The Artist Is Present (2010) at MoMA New York, 512 Hours (2014) at Serpentine Gallery London, and the founding of the Marina Abramović Institute (MAI). The talk coincided with her exhibition 'Holding the Milk,' a video installation on view until November 12, 2017, at the Chiesa della Maddalena in Alba. The exhibition features nine portraits and a video work inspired by Saint Teresa of Ávila, displayed in the 18th-century church. During the Q&A, Abramović advised young artists that an artwork must have the power to surprise and amaze in its totality. The event, organized in collaboration with the Municipality of Alba, was not fully public; many attendees were turned away due to limited theater capacity and a guest list of art-world personalities.