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The Marina Abramovic Institute will now allow public participants to attend the artist’s legendary “Cleaning the House” workshop. The first open educational program is going to take place in August in Greece and about to gather those who want to experience the renown performance artist’s techniques in person. 

Despite the public availability, limited places and high cost of the course are likely to become a barrier for many willing to take part.

Being one of the performance genre’s founders, Abramovic also established herself as a formidable educator early in her career. Upon graduation from her post-graduate studies in Croatia, she taught at the Academy of Fine Arts in Novi Sad. She developed “Cleaning the House” workshops in the 1980s and carried them out in several reputable universities of Europe.

“Cleaning the House” practices take place in a natural setting. Abramovic advocates that nature reduces distractions and allows to focus intensely and introspectively. The current workshops hosted by the artists Lynsey Peisinger and Paula Garcia are gathering the two groups of 14 people between August 27 and September 4 on the Serifos Island in Greece. Although the workshops are declared as public, the price of €1950 will most probably make them unaffordable for many of the aspiring artists.

The venue is a private estate that will allow participants keep away from bustle of the outer world. Participants will be asked to refrain from eating, speaking or using means of communication during the workshop in order to maximize focus and ensure a state of quiet and calm reflection. The participants will be led through a series of exercises designed to improve focus, stamina and concentration. They are meant to equip the students with a set of tools to endure the challenges associated with durational performances.

Find more information about this and other MAI’s projects on their website https://mai.art/