Southbank Centre announces takeover by Marina Abramović Institute as part of Autumn/Winter 2023/24 season
10 July 2023
The Southbank Centre today announced its Autumn/Winter 2023/24 Performance and Dance season, featuring new commissions and premieres from adventurous and influential artists and up-and-coming names from around the world. The programme signals a renewed commitment to Performance and Dance under Artistic Director Mark Ball, who joined the UK’s leading multi-arts centre in January 2022, and Aaron Wright, who was appointed Head of Performance and Dance in April 2023.
The season features new commissions including an exclusive takeover of the entire Queen Elizabeth Hall site curated by Marina Abramović and the Marina Abramović Institute (MAI). Commissioned by the Southbank Centre, the MAI Takeover will use all the spaces of the Queen Elizabeth Hall to present long durational performances from 4 – 8 October. For the first time, artists will perform in dressing rooms, green rooms, technical spaces, and the foyer as well as the Queen Elizabeth Hall Auditorium and Purcell Room, giving audiences special access to backstage spaces to watch a unique array of durational performance curated by Abramović and MAI. Performers include Collective Absentia, Carla Adra, Paula Garcia, Carlos Martiel, Yiannis Pappas, Paul Setúbal, Despina Zacharopoulou, and more to be announced. Marina Abramović will participate on Wednesday 4 and Sunday 8 October (session 1) and will also be present at various other times during the Takeover.
Abramović says “Long durational performances are one of the most ephemeral, unique, difficult, demanding and transformative works of art today. My institute, Marina Abramović Institute, will present very different views of this medium. I am passionate about expanding beyond my own practice by supporting other performance artists through this project. MAI are looking forward to taking over all spaces of the Southbank Centre's Queen Elizabeth Hall building in London. The public will be invited not just to be an observer, but also to actively participate.”
Image: Despina Zacharopoulou, Corner Time. Photo © Natalia Tsoukala
