Maria Abramovic: The Artist Is Present

2.5 Paws
Seen recently at Film Streams

I have a confession to make - I don't get performance art. It makes me self-conscious and uncomfortable, which makes me feel like I'm lacking the intellect to appreciate it, which makes me avoid it if I have a choice...a vicious circle.

That being said, I think there's a lot of good and a lot of schlocky art out there, no matter the method of delivery. Maria Abramovic, the Serbian performance artist, is part of the good camp, it seems. Everything about her is compelling - the way she moves, the way she speaks, the way she commits to her work.

It's fascinating looking over her shoulder as she prepares for a 2010 retrospective of her work at the Museum of Modern Art in New York. I'm not sure I would have camped out for the chance to sit across from her as part of the new work she debuted during its three-month run. But I wouldn't have automatically ruled it out, either. I like her, even if I don't get her.

Bonus Bones: 0
She doesn't seem like the type of human who has time for a dog.