10/31/2025
Yin and yang in art where do you place them? :)
In 1974, artist Marina Abramović stood completely still for six long hours.
She placed 72 objects on a table — a rose, a feather, honey, a whip, scissors, a scalpel, and even a gun with one bullet.
She told the crowd, “You can use these on me however you wish.”
Then she stood there — silent. Motionless.
At first, people were gentle. Someone offered her a flower. Another kissed her forehead.
But as time passed, kindness faded.
Her clothes were cut. Her skin was scratched. Someone even picked up the gun and pointed it at her.
When the six hours were over, Abramović began to move again.
The crowd froze. No one could look her in the eyes.
When the six-hour performance ended and she began to move, the crowd that had hurt and humiliated her ran away in shame. No one could face her. The experiment revealed how easily people lose empathy when given power, and how guilt returns the moment humanity reappears.
This was not just a performance.
It was a haunting reminder of how quickly compassion can turn to cruelty when no one says “stop.”
