The Louis Theroux Podcast

S6 EP7: Marina Abramovic on the relationship between performance and pain, never feeling loved in her childhood, and harmful conspiracies

18 Nov 2025

Audio

Description

For the final episode of this series, Louis travels to Manchester to sit down with Marina Abramovic, the self-proclaimed “grandmother of performance art”. Marina tells Louis the stories behind some of her most famous artworks, as well as the relationship between performance and pain, never feeling loved in her childhood, and being caught in the middle of an online conspiracy. Warnings: Strong language and adult themes. Links/Attachments: Balkan Erotic Epic, Marina Abramovic (2025) https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2025/may/22/manchester-to-host-world-premiere-of-marina-abramovics-balkan-erotic-epic The Artist is Present, Marina Abramovic (2010) https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2073029/ Lips of Thomas, Marina Abramovic (1975) https://www.guggenheim.org/artwork/5176 Rhythm 0, Marina Abramovic (1974) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xTBkbseXfOQ&list=PL0bCt-VbCH4N3823Lj7uNAFLiYDjSnbTp&index=1 Cut Piece, Yoko Ono (1964) https://www.moma.org/audio/playlist/15/373 Cut Piece, Yoko Ono (2005): https://www.theguardian.com/world/2003/sep/16/arts.france Bob Wilson’s Life and Death of Marina Abramovic, (2012) https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2177497/ Book: When Marina Abramovic Dies, James Westcott (2014) https://mitpress.mit.edu/9780262526814/when-marina-abramovic-dies/ Light – Dark, Ulay & Marina Abramovic (1978) https://www.stedelijk.nl/en/collection/13991-ulay-light-dark Seedbed, Vito Acconci (1972) https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/266876 Seven Easy Pieces, Marina Abramovic (2005) http://pastexhibitions.guggenheim.org/abramovic/ The Great Wall Walk, Marina Abramovic (1988) https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2020/apr/25/marina-abramovic-ulay-walk-the-great-wall-of-china Book: Walk Through Walls: A Memoir, Marina Abramovic (2016) https://www.waterstones.com/book/walk-through-walls/marina-abramovic/9780241974520 Balkan Baroque, Marina Abramovic (1997) https://www.singulart.com/blog/en/2024/06/03/balkan-baroque-by-marina-abramovic/?srsltid=AfmBOopPyXzjOP800ERQMaHvbiNNps0oMBOCmOKjWOhdpNt6X6kEvu2k https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UQigTZuTmv0 BBC Maestro, Marina Abramovic: https://www.bbcmaestro.com/courses/marina-abramovic/the-art-of-being-present Article: ‘Marina Abramovic Just Wants Conspiracy Theorists to Let Her Be’, New York Times, 2020 https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/21/arts/design/marina-abramovic-satanist-conspiracy-theory.html The Seven Deaths of Maria Callas (2022) https://www.harrisonparrott.com/news/2022-11-04/marina-abramovic-brings-the-seven-deaths-of-maria-callas-to-royal The Truth Vs Alex Jones (2024) https://tv.apple.com/gb/show/the-truth-vs-alex-jones/umc.cmc.1azsv881ew8mcjozutufy51vf Credits: Producer: Millie Chu  Assistant Producer: Maan al-Yasiri Production Manager: Francesca Bassett  Music: Miguel D’Oliveira  Audio Mixer: Tom Guest Video Mixer: Scott Edwards Shownotes compiled by Elly Young Executive Producer: Arron Fellows     A Mindhouse Production for Spotify  www.mindhouse.co.uk  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcription

This episode hasn't been transcribed yet

Help us prioritize this episode for transcription by upvoting it.

0 upvotes

🗳️ Sign in to Upvote

Popular episodes get transcribed faster

Other episodes from The Louis Theroux Podcast

Transcribed and ready to explore now

The Louis Theroux Podcast

S6 EP7: Marina Abramovic on the relationship between performance and pain, never feeling loved in her childhood, and harmful conspiracies

This episode hasn't been transcribed yet

Other episodes from The Louis Theroux Podcast

S6 EP8: Jimmy Carr discusses the secret to his comedy, being a late bloomer, and controversial stand-up gigs

Sign in to Audioscrape

Share this moment