Good morning. It's Saturday, Sept. 20, and this week we're covering artist Marina Abramović, whose most famous work, "The Artist Is Present," turned 15 this year. To celebrate the anniversary, we dug into Abramović's childhood, groundbreaking experiments, and unexpected mainstream popularity. |
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The Interpersonal Innovator |
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An introduction to Marina Abramović
Note: This article contains descriptions and references to nudity and violence in performance art.
Known as the “grandmother of performance art,” Marina Abramović is a Yugoslav-born performance artist. Since beginning her career in the 1970s, Abramović has captivated audiences by using her own body as a medium and often going to extremes by subjecting herself to discomfort, hunger, and violence.
Initially a painter, Abramović leaned into the more provocative form of performance in the ’70s with the "Rhythm" series, which included actions that challenged the limits of her body and mind. In the decades that followed, Abramović would continue pushing the boundaries of art, often alongside her collaborator and romantic partner Ulay.
In 2010, the Museum of Modern Art hosted Abramović’s “The Artist Is Present” retrospective featuring 36 younger artists performing her most famous works. The exhibit ended with the 63-year-old Abramović sitting across from thousands of audience members invited to hold eye contact with her. The display lasted from March to May, marking her longest performance.
Also check out ...
> The face-to-face portion of "The Artist Is Present" called back to "Nightsea Crossing," an ’80s performance where Abramović and Ulay sat across from each other for hours on end without speaking, eating, or moving. (More)
> 1988's "The Lovers" featured a 1,500 mile walk along the Great Wall of China and concluded with the dissolution of Abramović's relationship with Ulay. (More)
> Abramović's childhood in ex-Yugoslavia informed her art, inspiring a lifelong interest in exploring the boundaries of pain and pleasure. (More)
> The artist has developed her own artistic method, which Lady Gaga cites as a major influence on her work. (More)
... and explore everything else we've found on Marina Abramović here. |
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In partnership with Grüns |
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The story behind the Michelin Guide
The Michelin Guide is a guidebook issued by the Michelin tire company, first developed in 1900 to increase demand for tires by encouraging recreational travel. The first American Michelin Guide arrived in 2005, for New York City.
The Michelin Guide is best known for its restaurant rating system, commonly referred to as “Michelin stars.” The guide awards restaurants between one and three stars to designate varying levels of excellence in cuisine. Michelin stars are awarded by a panel of anonymous inspectors who rate restaurants according to five criteria: ingredient quality, technical mastery, chef personality, value for money, and consistency.
Michelin stars are not permanent and must be maintained year-to-year. Restaurants have lost their stars for a variety of reasons, including chef changes and inconsistent quality.
Also check out ...
> The first street vendor to win a Michelin star was Singaporean chef Hawker Chan, whose delicious food was uncharacteristically inexpensive for a Michelin-approved chef. (More)
> Some chefs relinquish their Michelin stars, citing the pressure to maintain them year after year is too great. (More)
> Michelin inspectors try to maintain their anonymity to avoid receiving special treatment by assuming fake names and wearing disguises. (More)
> Chicago's Ever restaurant is considered one of the best dining experiences in the US and was famously depicted in "The Bear." Chef-owner Curtis Duffy has two Michelin stars from multiple years. (More)
... and explore everything else we've found about the Michelin Guide here. |
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YouTube, 101
Launched in early 2005 by former PayPal employees, YouTube began as a quirky site where users uploaded funny, random videos. Today, it’s a global media powerhouse and home to everything from movie trailers to video podcasts, livestreams, and much more.
YouTube’s engagement is driven by an algorithm combining user data and machine learning to predict which videos a user might want to watch next, much like its primary competitor, TikTok. Viral YouTube stars like MrBeast say they create their content with that algorithm in mind.
YouTube averages over 2 billion monthly users, making it the largest video-sharing platform in the world. As it looks to its third decade and beyond, AI and short-form content are likely to be significant drivers of viewership. The company has signaled it will lean into AI-powered features for users.
Also check out ...
> YouTube's first video was a short, grainy clip of cofounder Jared Kawim at the San Diego Zoo, called (fittingly) "Me at the Zoo." (More)
> Psy's music video for "Gangnam Style" was the first YouTube video to reach 1 billion views. (More)
> Although a career as an influencer might seem easy enough, only a fraction of YouTube users make money on the platform. (More)
> YouTube is more popular than Netflix and accounts for over 13% of US TV viewing, according to a recent Nielsen report. (More)
... and explore everything we found on YouTube here. |
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Thanks for reading! If you have three minutes to let us know what you think of the new format, we'd be incredibly grateful for your feedback. Click here to let us know! |
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Beyond our weekly deep dives, we love finding great takes on the culture currently shaping our lives. Here are some of the best reactions, profiles, and think pieces we encountered this week.
> The Robert Redford Syllabus
The Ringer | Adam Nayman. Redford, a renowned actor and director, died Tuesday. Nayman’s overview of his oeuvre offers beginners a window into his famous on-screen appearances and grants longtime admirers a thoughtful exploration of what made them so impactful. (Read)
> The Last Days of Social Media
Noema | James O'Sullivan. O'Sullivan explains how social media's early promise has been corrupted by bad actors. The thoughtful essay goes much deeper, though, analyzing how users have begun retreating from the platforms for numerous “little gardens,” offering a window into a brighter online future. (Read)
> Saving a New Orleans Banksy
Oxford American | Ivy Knight. Knight unspools the story of authenticating a mural by Banksy, the world’s best-selling and most notorious anonymous graffiti artist. It features a perceptive truck driver, a technological breakthrough, and a hotelier intent on restoring the nearly destroyed work. (Read)
> The Literary Afterlives of 'Labyrinth'
Literary Hub | Logan Karlie. Initially considered a failure, Jim Henson’s “Labyrinth” eventually went on to become a cult favorite. Karlie unpacks how the film inspired generations of young fantasy writers, who build worlds not all that different from Henson’s. (Read)
> A Room of Their Own
The American Scholar | Ann Beattie. Beattie, an acclaimed novelist and short story writer, offers a self-deprecating and surprisingly poignant ode to an underappreciated domain: the guest room. It’s there, she says, that you can not only welcome friends but a better version of yourself. (Read) |
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In partnership with Grüns |
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If 1 million people are doing something consistently, it must be pretty good… and Grüns is proof of that. Their customers keep going back for their delicious, nutrient-dense superfood greens gummies, which support everything from energy and digestion to filling in the gaps in your nutritional needs.
There’s no prep required – just enjoy a delicious daily snack pack and experience the benefits of veggies, vitamins, antioxidants, adaptogens, fiber, and more. Trust us, your stomach, brain, and body will thank you. Try their new limited-time Grünny Smith Apple flavor and save up to 52% today. |
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Please support our sponsors! |
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New in 1440 Society & Culture |
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