AAA-AAA
Marina Abramović
and Ulay

Marina Abramović and Ulay
AAA-AAA, 1978
Duration: 9'19''

Marina Abramović and Ulay kneel in front of each other, gazing into each other's eyes. Initially, they produce the same monotonous sound, but gradually a contest develops: who can yell, scream and yowl the loudest and longest? Ulay is the first to give up. When Abramović has also screamed herself hoarse, they both resume their original position.

The performance is reminiscent of Freeing the Voice (1976), in which Abramović screamed herself hoarse. There, the emphasis was on cleansing body and mind, while AAA-AAA (1978) revolves around the relationship between two lovers. Starting from a position of equality, they try to outdo each other.

There are two versions of AAA-AAA, one recorded in Liège (which is a longer colour version of the current work), the other in Amsterdam. Both are studio performances without an audience. In Liège, the performance was recorded by Barry van der Sluis for television, whereas the Amsterdam performance was filmed by Louis van Gasteren for documentation purposes. (Source: LIMA)

Courtesy Van Abbemuseum, Eindhoven