Uploaded March 2026 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
Marina Abramović's series of 'Rhythm' performances created a whole new medium, pushing the limits of endurance and consciousness in art. Each of these five performances, performed across Europe between 1973-74, took as their starting point a set of written instructions, which Abramović enacted in front of a live audience. All of these works raised the question: how far is someone willing to go for art?
Fifty years on, Abramović sits down with Maria Balshaw to share her memories and reflections on the Rhythm works, which set a new template for performance art.
00:00 Pushing the limits of the human body
00:42 Introduction: the Rhythm series
01:55 Rhythm 10: 'based on a Slavic drinking game'
04:33 Meeting Joseph Beuys
05:56 Rhythm 5: 'I didn't see the risk'
08:13 The burning of witches
09:01 Rhythm 4: consciousness / unconsciousness
10:05 Rhythm 2: 'the curator almost lost his job'
11:30 Rhythm 0: 'simple, but this was Hell'
12:31 'I'm an object for six hours'
14:41 'Did you feel in active danger?'
Subscribe for weekly films: goo.gl/X1ZnEl
To license Tate films please email film.licensing@tate.org.uk
Marina Abramović's series of 'Rhythm' performances created a whole new medium, pushing the limits of endurance and consciousness in art. Each of these five performances, performed across Europe between 1973-74, took as their starting point a set of written instructions, which Abramović enacted in front of a live audience. All of these works raised the question: how far is someone willing to go for art?
Fifty years on, Abramović sits down with Maria Balshaw to share her memories and reflections on the Rhythm works, which set a new template for performance art.
00:00 Pushing the limits of the human body
00:42 Introduction: the Rhythm series
01:55 Rhythm 10: 'based on a Slavic drinking game'
04:33 Meeting Joseph Beuys
05:56 Rhythm 5: 'I didn't see the risk'
08:13 The burning of witches
09:01 Rhythm 4: consciousness / unconsciousness
10:05 Rhythm 2: 'the curator almost lost his job'
11:30 Rhythm 0: 'simple, but this was Hell'
12:31 'I'm an object for six hours'
14:41 'Did you feel in active danger?'
Subscribe for weekly films: goo.gl/X1ZnEl
To license Tate films please email film.licensing@tate.org.uk
