Rhythm 5

In the performance of Rhythm 5. Marina Abramovic shows a more ritualistic traditional act. She construct a five star pointed star made of wood and wood chips and soaked them in petroleum. She then set it on fire. She then walks around the star, cuts her hair and throws the lumps into the fire at each edge of the star. She then cuts her toe nails and does the same, throws the clippings at all the edges of the star. Abramovic then walks into the star and lies down in the middle on the empty surface.

Lying down in the star after a while Abramovic runs out of oxygen which is all used up by the burning flames which results in her loosing consciousness. The viewers did not notice this until one of the flames touches her feet and she shows no reaction to it. This makes the viewers come and get her out of the star. Abramovic says that she is confronted with her physical limitations and the performance is cut short because of the reason.

Mariana re-evokes the energy of extreme body pain. Burning the communist star represents a physical and mental purification from the communism which was in Yugoslavia while she was growing up. She wants to set herself free from the torture, the misery she had while growing up as a kid because of her parents who both were at a high post in the communist party.