LIMITS

Marina Abramovic, a Yugoslavian Artist, born in 1946 was a well-known performance artist of her time. She is often described as "the grandmother of performance art". Her work explores the relation between performer   and audience. Her most radical and thought provoking work of art was in 1974, The Rhythm 0. She decided to test the tolerance level of the body in relation to the mind. What she really learnt with the experiment is that the body has limitless tolerance level, it is the mind that controls it. In her words, “It’s not about the body; it’s the mind who will push you to the limits that you could never imagine.” 

Her desire was to learn more about the actions of human beings, if, they had the freedom to do as they wished without fear of consequence. She decided to stand continuously for 6 hours without mobility and allow the public to do what they wanted. On a table next to her she placed 72 objects which included many tools including a knife, a pistol with a single bullet and flowers. She gave them freedom, without condition, to do whatever they desired for 6 hours and she would take whole responsibility of their actions, while she stood passively.  The initial reaction was peaceful; the people contented themselves by standing near her and watching her. But this did not last for long, after a while the public became more aggressive. They wrote vile words on her body, put flowers in her hand, kissed her, touched her. With time the aggressiveness increased, they tore her clothes, stuck rose petals on her breasts, took photographs of her in the nude and made her hold them, one even put a gun to her head, but someone intervened and took the gun from him. Even the silent flow of tears running down her cheeks did not halt the people from their acts of atrocity. Having completed the committed 6 hours, Marina moved without taking any hostile reaction toward the people. Yet, the people began to flee when Marina started walking, fearing some form of retribution.

This experience proved to the Marina that people no matter what race,  age or background are capable of heinous acts, provided the opportunity arises where no  fear of retaliation arises. If Marina had once retaliated or shown she was capable of retaliation, she probably would not have been deviled to the extent that she was. Her exploitation (for want of a better word) was more physical. But as she learnt, our minds have great capacity for tolerance and can be pushed to unimaginable limits.

We do this in our lives too. We give others the freedom to dictate to us. We do not set boundaries and this allows for us be taken for granted. Often we do this without realizing it, initially bending a bit, letting go of some trifle matter for the sake of peace, or because our consideration and regard for the person outweighs the desire to resist. Gradually, we have bend so much that we can bend no more. 

Boundaries become fuzzy, and it is taken for granted that there will be no retaliation or retribution, but just quiet submissiveness. But for each individual there will be a breaking point. Those who constantly put others ahead of themselves push those limits,more than the wiser who know their limits and set expectations accordingly, the mind often thinking the body can handle it, till the mind reaches its limits.

So like Marina so painfully and degradingly learnt, the lesson here is to set boundaries and allow only realistic expectations. The self is important, and respect for self will come from others only if we demand it, rather than be passively submissive by allowing unreasonable expectations.