Marina Abramović’s Rhythm 0: The Performance that Laid Bare Human Nature
In 1974, Marina Abramović staged what is now one of the most infamous and discussed performance art pieces in history: Rhythm 0. Performed in a gallery in Naples, this six-hour endurance piece was as much a study of human psychology as it was an artistic endeavour. Abramović stood motionless, offering herself as a “living object” for the audience to interact with, using any of the 72 objects she had laid out on a table. These objects ranged from the benign—a rose, a feather, bread, and grapes—to the dangerous, including a scalpel, a razor blade, nails, and even a loaded gun.
Abramović’s instructions, stark in their simplicity, read:
“There are 72 objects on the table that one can use on me as desired. Performance. I am the object...During this period I take full responsibility.”
The performance began at 8 pm and lasted until 2 am, with no physical or metaphorical barriers between Abramović and her audience. The gallery space was shared equally, making it clear that the visitors were not merely observers; they were participants, integral to the unfolding drama. This was not art meant to be passively consumed; it demanded engagement, confrontation, and ultimately moral reckoning.
Marina Abramović’s Rhythm 0: The Performance Unfolds
At first, the audience hesitated. Many chose harmless actions, offering Abramović flowers or a gentle touch. Some turned her around, while others tentatively explored the more innocuous objects on the table. Art critic Thomas McEvilley, who was present at the performance, described this early phase:
"It began tamely. Someone turned her around. Someone thrust her arms into the air. Someone touched her somewhat intimately."
But as the minutes turned to hours, the Neapolitan night began to intensify. By the third hour, the dynamic had shifted dramatically. Abramović’s clothes were cut away with razor blades, leaving her naked and vulnerable. Sexual assaults, minor but deeply violating, began to occur. The violence escalated further in the fourth hour, as blades were used to make small incisions on her skin. Blood was drawn, and one participant drank it directly from her neck.
Amidst these increasingly invasive acts, Abramović remained passive and motionless, a living embodiment of surrender. She later reflected on her experience:
“What I learned was that ... if you leave it up to the audience, they can kill you ... I felt really violated: they cut up my clothes, stuck rose thorns in my stomach, one person aimed the gun at my head, and another took it away. It created an aggressive atmosphere.”
The climax of Marina Abramovićs Rhythm0 came when a man placed the loaded gun in Abramović’s hand and pressed it to her temple, wrapping her fingers around the trigger. In this moment, the tension that had been building finally broke. A protective faction within the audience, horrified by the escalating danger, physically intervened to stop the aggressor. A fight broke out between those who sought to harm Abramović and those who wanted to protect her.
The Audience’s Divided Response
The audience split into two distinct groups: those who acted with cruelty and those who sought to defend Abramović. Some participants wiped her tears and tried to shield her from further harm, while others egged on the violence or inflicted it themselves. This dynamic highlighted the complexity of group psychology, recalling experiments like the Stanford Prison Experiment, where the removal of accountability and the presence of peer influence led individuals to act in ways they might not under normal circumstances.
The performance ended after the six hours had elapsed. Abramović, who had been a passive object throughout, began to move. As she walked toward the audience, they scattered, avoiding her gaze and the confrontation her movement represented. The same people who had inflicted harm, and those who had failed to stop it, now recoiled from facing her as a person.
Abramović’s Reflections and Interpretations
Abramović has since spoken extensively about the trauma and revelations of Rhythm 0:
“The experience I drew from this piece was that in your own performances you can go very far, but if you leave decisions to the public, you can be killed.”
She also confessed that she was prepared for the ultimate sacrifice:
“I was ready to die.”
The performance pushed the boundaries of her body and mind, exploring themes of pain, endurance, vulnerability, and trust. It also laid bare the darker aspects of human nature, exposing how quickly social norms and ethical boundaries can dissolve when people are given power without accountability.
Abramović’s nudity and vulnerability, while central to the performance, were not simply an invitation to view her as a sexual object. Instead, they functioned as a metaphor, confronting the audience with their own gaze and ethics. By presenting herself as an object, Abramović unmasked the unconscious violence embedded in that gaze and challenged the audience to reflect on their actions.
Legacy and Interpretation
The performance also raises questions about “care,” a concept encompassing protection, attention, and empathy. Some audience members showed genuine care for Abramović, while others used the objects to harm her. This dichotomy illuminated not just the choices people make when freed from accountability, but also the fragility of human connection when placed under strain.
At its core, Rhythm 0 is an exploration of the human condition rather than human connection. The performance revealed not only how far people can go but also how their actions are influenced by group dynamics and moral disengagement. The “care” some participants exhibited served as a counterpoint to the aggression of others, highlighting the duality of human nature.
