Hip, Unconventional Wellness Guru: Marina Abramović
Is the "Longevity Method" of Marina Abramovic more of a commercial venture or a theatrical demonstration?
Instead of Gwyneth Paltrow and her fancy jade eggs and pricey titanium cookware, could Marshall Art Abramović be the wellness shaman we didn't know we needed? Goop, with its frequent layoffs, seems to have lost its appeal.
If you're looking for something more out of the ordinary, Abramović could be your ticket. She once told the New York Times "I like baby food." And if you want to live like her, the Marina Abramović Institute offers five-day Cleaning the House workshops for €2,450 (~$2,600) across various locations—like Brazil and Thailand. Led by her trained disciples, attendees undergo a series of long durational exercises to hone their focus, stamina, and concentration. Participants are expected to relinquish their cellphones, laptops, watches, and electronic devices, and during the workshop, they're expected to remain silent, refrain from eating, and avoid reading. Herbal tea and honey are permitted for sustenance.
For the adventurous wellness warriors wanting a taste of longevity, Abramović even markets 99£ ($125) longevity drops with a Swiss doctor. You can achieve inside-out beauty via active ingredients like pollen, cranberry, lemon, and garlic, packaged beautifully—just like similar tonics from a health food store.
Her commitment to wellness echoes in her art, too.
Her latest exhibit, "Marina Abramović: Transforming Energy," at the MAM Shanghai showcases 150 works spread over three floors, including numerous crystal-based sculptures that nod to her interest in Eastern medicine. The pieces are reminiscent of a cross between furniture and something more sinister. There are wooden beds pointed toward large crystals, copper tubs with crystals aimed where a faucet might be, deck chairs facing metronomes, and doorways adorned with crystals.
Spiritual wellness has always been a theme in Abramović's art, but it's become more overt. The exhibit is inspired by, and can be considered an addendum to, her most famous durational performance: The Great Wall Walk (1988), where she and her former partner, Ulay, walked from opposite ends of the wall toward the center and toward each other. "Me from the Yellow Sea, which is water and female energy... he will walk from the desert, which is the fire and the male element, and we will meet in the middle and we are going to get married," shared Abramović from Shanghai during exhibit setup in October.
For someone nearing 78 years old, she looks amazing: smooth, full hair, and seemingly boundless energy. Shai Baitel, the Shanghai show's curator, took notice. "Marina is beyond generation. She's beyond age." Whatever she's doing is working. Sign us all up for the drops, the workshops, whatever it takes.
The Great Wall in 1988 posed logistical challenges that Abramović and Ulay didn't appreciate. It took about 8 years, during which "our relationship completely fell apart," she says, laughing. They did not get married.
She saw symbolism and spirituality in the Great Wall. "We discovered the Great Wall was actually not only this kind of fortress to keep enemies out of China in those days. It was like a metaphysical structure. It was seen as a replica of our Milky Way," she said.
While Abramović completed her journey, she went to Brazil, where her fascination with minerals persisted. Her "transitory objects," works that trigger the experience of minerals and the feelings they evoke, dominated much of her work during the 1990s. During her 2010 retrospective at MoMA, she performed The Artist Is Present. For 736 hours, she sat silently and unmoving while museumgoers took turns sitting opposite her.
Now arguably the world's most famous living artist, she returns to China 36 years later. Using quartz, amethyst, tourmaline, copper, iron, and wood, she creates objects for the audience to interact with. Objects, she notes, are not the goal; energy is. Visitors can press their heads, hearts, and stomachs against concave stones mounted on the wall, and see people deeply engaged, facing the wall instead of the work.
The exhibit's title, "Transforming Energy," hints at the power of the materials to transform our own energy, as well as our shifting energy in general. Baitel, the show's curator, sees a correlation between the materials' energy and Abramović's philosophies: focus, disconnection from distractions, discipline, a break from cellular phones, social media, and self-obsession.
So, what does Abramović do for her own wellness routine? She swims every morning for an hour, eats congee in the morning and a lot of tofu—which she fell in love with in 1988. She consults a qigong master for stomach-focused bodywork and does supplementary exercises at home. "I am always looking for ways to balance everything," she says, waving her arms. "Then taking long showers. It's really important because water gives energy, but then you have to regain energy. And then sleeping. I need eight hours of sleep each day."
Jet lag, she confesses, has become harder to handle as she ages—she had been in China for two weeks when we spoke, and still felt it. But there's something relatable about her life and routine that resonates with us. Beyond the rumored baby food diet (she doesn't admit to it, and it's impossible to confirm), beyond the crystal healing, beyond the longevity tonics, she just wants to relax at home.
What she looks forward to is a knee replacement. "It's a bit messed up. I tried plasma shots, I tried everything," she says. "I went to the doctor, he looked at my knee. He asked me, What kind of opiates are you taking? I said, Nothing—I never take anything. He said, What? And you're walking on this?" So, she booked one. "I'm going to do physical therapy religiously," she says. "And I'm not going to travel for three months." She smiles at the thought.
- Evidently, Marina Abramović, an artist known for her unconventional wellness methods, could be the wellness champion many are seeking.
- Abramović's commitment to wellness is reflected in her art, as seen in her latest exhibition at the MAM Shanghai, titled "Marina Abramović: Transforming Energy."
- The exhibition, spanning three floors and featuring over 150 works, includes numerous crystal-based sculptures that reflect Abramović's interest in Eastern medicine.
- Spiritual wellness has long been a theme in Abramović's art, but it has become more overt in recent years.
- The exhibit, inspired by Abramović's famous durational performance The Great Wall Walk (1988), uses quartz, amethyst, tourmaline, copper, iron, and wood to create interactive objects for visitors.
- Baitel, the exhibit's curator, sees a correlation between the materials' energy and Abramović's philosophies, which emphasize focus, disconnection from distractions, discipline, and a break from modern conveniences.
- Abramović's personal wellness routine includes swimming every morning, eating congee and tofu, consultations with a qigong master, and eight hours of sleep each night.
- Despite her age, Abramović is looking forward to a knee replacement in the near future, having struggled with the issue for some time.
- Beyond her wellness practices and performances, Abramović's life and routine resonate with many, with her goals centered on balance and relaxation.
- Abramović's approach to wellness, encompassing various aspects of life from art and spirituality to food and personal care, can be seen as a unique blend of modern and traditional practices.
