“I developed these workshops over 40 years of teaching, in order for my students to prepare for long durational performance. They provide a reset for the body and give a set of tools to manage the challenges of the mind. These skills are universal. The workshops are now open to anyone, in any discipline.”
— MARINA ABRAMOVIC
The Cleaning the House Workshop was developed by Abramovic during her years of teaching. Since the 1980s, she developed and led numerous Cleaning the House workshops for her students at Hochschule fur Bildende Kunst in Hamburg, Ecole des Beaux Arts in Paris, and later when she was a professor for Performance Art at the Hochschule fur Bildende Kunst in Braunschweig, where she taught for seven years.
During the workshop, participants will be asked to refrain from eating or speaking to bring the body and mind to a quiet, calm state. Participants will be led through a series of long durational exercises to improve individual focus, stamina, and concentration.
When we are given the opportunity to be in nature, away from distractions, and to participate in this time-honed set of exercises and activities, it improves our focus, our determination, and our ability to generate new ideas. This type of preparation is described by Abramovic as a complete internal reset, essential not only for performers, as they approach their work but also for other practitioners and professionals across all disciplines.
CONDITIONS OF THE WORKSHOP
Duration of workshop: 5 days
Arrival onsite on the first session day + departure from the site on the last session day
All cellphones, laptops, watches, and electronic devices will be collected.
During the workshop, participants should refrain from eating, speaking, and reading.
The instructions for each exercise will be explained at the moment of execution.
The workshops are facilitated by artists trained by Marina Abramović.
COST
The total cost of the workshop is €2450. You can choose to pay this in full or with a deposit plan of €750 with a remaining balance of €1700.
Bookings include local transportation (shuttle to and from the workshop location to Athens), workshop materials, shared accommodations, and meals prior to and meals after the workshop.
The funds raised from this workshop will go directly toward the funding of MAI’s programming.