The artist is present (2010): a psychoanalytical performance study

Marina Abramović was engaged in an extended performance called The Artist is Present in 2010 at The Museum of Modern Art (MOMA). The work was inspired by her belief that stretching a performance's length beyond expectations alters the audience’s perception of time and fosters a deeper engagement in the theatrical experience. The objective of the study is to examine both the psychological and theatrical aspects of The Artist is Present by applying the Freudian defense mechanism, Alfred Adler’s Compensation Theory, Brené́Brown’s Vulnerability and the Power of Connection Theory, and Schechner’s Make Believe/Make Belief Performance Theory on The Artist is Present. By dissecting the psychological aspects manifested in the show, light is shed on the inevitable impact of trauma and pain on the human psyche and the effect of forgiveness and its healing power. The results showed that Marina faces her trauma, embraces pain, and decides to heal her broken parts by forgiving herself and her parents. The study has also manifested that pain can never heal pain, and trauma cannot be surpassed through repression or any other defense mechanism. Pain heals through embracing the grieving process and reconciling with one’s suffering. Only then does trauma stop reenacting itself, and the traumatized embark on a lifetime journey of self-healing. Pain and trauma are inescapable, but Marina turned her pain into a universal piece of art: The Artist is Present. Keywords: forgiveness, healing, pain, performance art, psychoanalysis, trauma, defense mechanism, suppression, grief. <strong>Received: 29 October 2024 </strong> <strong>Accepted: 20 November 2024 </strong> <strong>Published: 01 December 2024</strong>