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Walk Through Walls  By  cover art

Walk Through Walls

By: Marina Abramovic
Narrated by: Marina Abramovic
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Publisher's summary

"I had experienced absolute freedom - I had felt that my body was without boundaries, limitless; that pain didn't matter, that nothing mattered at all - and it intoxicated me."

In 2010 more than 750,000 people stood in line at Marina Abramović's MoMA retrospective for the chance to sit across from her and communicate with her nonverbally in an unprecedented durational performance that lasted more than 700 hours. This celebration of nearly 50 years of groundbreaking performance art demonstrated once again that Marina Abramović is truly a force of nature.

The child of Communist war-hero parents under Tito's regime in postwar Yugoslavia, she was raised with a relentless work ethic. Even as she was beginning to build an international artistic career, Marina lived at home under her mother's abusive control, strictly obeying a 10:00 p.m. curfew. But nothing could quell her insatiable curiosity, her desire to connect with people, or her distinctly Balkan sense of humor - all of which inform her art and her life.

The beating heart of Walk Through Walls is an operatic love story - a 12-year collaboration with fellow performance artist Ulay, much of which was spent penniless in a van traveling across Europe - a relationship that began to unravel and came to a dramatic end atop the Great Wall of China.

Marina's story, by turns moving, epic, and dryly funny, informs an incomparable artistic career that involves pushing her body past the limits of fear, pain, exhaustion, and danger in an uncompromising quest for emotional and spiritual transformation. A remarkable work of performance in its own right, Walk Through Walls is a vivid and powerful rendering of the unparalleled life of an extraordinary artist.

©2016 Marina Abramovic (P)2016 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

"Artist Marina Abramovic narrates this memoir documenting her life and 50 years of performance art. Her Yugoslavian-accented English and unique phrasing patterned with starts and stops make this listening experience as distinctive as Abramovic's art.... Like her live audiences, Abramovic's listeners enter into her narrated performance art and discover that 'the artist is present.'" ( AudioFile)

What listeners say about Walk Through Walls

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  • Overall
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    5 out of 5 stars

Fascinating read

NYT reviewer who panned this phenomenal memoir ought to be fired or at the very least banned from covering fine arts ever again. It blows my mind how much people can miss the point when creative genius is the target of observation.

This was easily the best autobiography I've ever read. Entertaining, inspiring, honest. Superb all around.

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9 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars

"An artist should not lie to himself or others..."

Being the art historian that I am I could not pass on a chance to hear this story from the artist mouth. I'll be honest, I didn't care much for Abramovic when I first started listening to this. I had known of her and her work but I didn't really get her work or her but after listening to this I am completely and utterly in love with her.

She made this so engaging and so entertaining. She gives no singles fucks and that comes across. She is such a badass and powerful woman. She is everything that I want to be as a woman. She has created a new lover of not just performance art but off all women artist for the struggle that they need to go through. She has survived through so much and has done such amazing things despite everything and it is such a powerful thing to hear from a woman.

If you have any interest in art at all please listen to this.

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7 people found this helpful

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  • 04-07-18

Just finished, and about to listen again

Hands down one of the best audiobooks and books I’ve ever encountered. This woman is a treasure to humanity and the whole earth. There is so much to learn from her story that I feel I must listen again in order to really absorb it all.

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4 people found this helpful

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one of a kind

excellent intuitive read. weird, raw, from the heart and emotion. marina's voice is very soothing and story is full of twists and turns. lifetime of in making of an artist. i enjoyed it very much and look forward to marinas future artistic endeavours.

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3 people found this helpful

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Incredible Life

What a stunning achievement Marina’s contribution to the arts and to life have been. Despite many emotionally challenging obstacles, she persevered and conquered. I find her mysticism and philosophy intriguing and inspiring where it concerns community building and the initiative to generate more love, which is to say a life of meaning by loving. Bravo, Marina.

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3 people found this helpful

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Pure magic

Powerful stories filled with life, struggle and creativity. Words, actions and history coalesce into fabric of this artist. Inspiration flows and I feel touched deeply by these words. The humanness and other worldliness of her stories echo inside the space of my mind. As an artist I feel honored to listen to this life read by the artist. Her work moves in ways deeper than she may ever know. Thank you

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2 people found this helpful

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Wow...

Marina Abramovich gives a peek into her Life and inspiration that has defined her as a person. Most of all it is honest. Great read!

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2 people found this helpful

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Abramovic Changed Art

A compelling memoir about a powerful artist who had the courage to follow her convictions and changed art in the process. I love the authenticity of the narration in her own voice. A must for those interested in contemporary art and culture, this book should also appeal to those who love a good story. Marina Abramovic transcended her medium and has become an international name for good reason: she had the courage to redefine art and the discipline to make it happen.

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1 person found this helpful

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Amazing autobiography !!

Wow , this is amazing book . There is no one dull moment while listening to Marians super interesting life . I learned from much from just listening to this book about art , spiritual and life . It’s a must read book.

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Impresionante!

Me encantó saber más de arte performático. Lo importante que es la meditación, la concentración, el amor propio.
Gran mujer, gran libro!

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1 person found this helpful