The corporeal corpus: Body-politics as textual praxes in marina Abramovic’s performative art

Abstract

The article explores Marina Abramović's performance art, focusing on her engagement with the themes of corporeality, identity subversion, and the body as text. By analyzing key performances such as Rhythm 5 (1974), The Biography (1992), Cleaning the Mirror (1995), The Artist Is Present (2010), and 512 Hours (2014), the study examines how Abramović uses her body as a medium to push the limits of endurance, transform physical experiences into symbolic acts, and create spaces for spiritual and emotional transcendence. Drawing on performance theory and Judith Butler's concept of performativity, the article discusses how Abramović's work challenges traditional notions of selfhood, corporeality, and the body’s potential for meaning-making. Through her unique approach to performance, Abramović redefines the possibilities of the body in contemporary art, illustrating its role as both a site of personal transformation and a vessel for collective experience.