Title of Artwork: “Balkan Erotic Epic”

Artwork by Marina Abramović

Year Created 2005

Summary of Balkan Erotic Epic

This is one of seven videos recorded by performance artist Marina Abramovic in 2005, all of which reflect ancient rituals from the region of the Balkans where she was born.

Throughout the Middle Ages and into the early Modern era, people in rural areas commonly held the belief that they could appease the gods by engaging in sexual acts such as copulating with the earth to increase crop yields or displaying their genitalia to the heavens to frighten away the demons responsible for bad weather.

Artist commentary about the work’s inception and creation appears intermittently throughout. Contributed by Author Richard C. Haber.

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