Tuning in…
Tuning in…
Castaway
1 appearance
One of the most revered living artists who brought performance art into the mainstream, known for physically enduring works like 'The Artist is Present'.
On the island
Eight records
Aria from Goldberg Variations, BWV 988
Classical piece performed by Igor Levit. The guest described a performance where the pianist sat motionless for half an hour while the piano was slowly moved toward the audience.
The guest recalled hearing this on her grandmother's Bakelite radio as a child, standing in the kitchen with eyes closed, deeply moved.
The guest heard Anohni (then Antony) sing this live and was moved to tears, describing it as 'a voice of angels'. The song addresses climate change.
The guest loves Chavela Vargas's passionate, cracked voice and the sadness and melancholy in her music.
The guest admires Tina Turner's transformation from an abusive relationship and her charisma as a performer. This is also the guest's karaoke song.
Heart Sutra ChantFavourite
The guest chose this Tibetan Buddhist chant because it works on an energetic level, affecting the molecular system and putting the listener in a certain state of mind.
Andante from Piano Concerto No. 21 in C major, K. 467
The guest first heard this piece at age 70 and it made her realize her own mortality. She describes it as a powerful, existential experience.
The guest calls this 'trashy' music from the 'bullshit Marina' side of her personality. She became addicted to it while traveling with artist Jack Smith.
In conversation
Presenter asks
2:19Has that always been your purpose [to uplift people] or are you reacting and responding to the times that we live in?
You know, it's really important, you know, what is my function as an artist today. And I always believe that the function of an artist is a function of a servant. We have to really see what's happening around us and we have to see what really we can give to the society. It's so easy to reflect the horror of the moment, but it's so important how to trust in that horror and actually create beauty and harmony and something that actually can bring a peace in your heart. And to me, it's really important lifting the human spirit.
Presenter asks
6:30Is it true that [your parents] saved each other's lives?
It's true. You know, my mother was actually commander of the unit of the First Front, the Red Cross, the bringing the soldiers out of the field, into the hospital. And my father was in kind of guerrilla and really doing very courageous acts … after one or two years, they come in wounded partisans, and one of these wounded people is my father. … she discovered they have the same blood group and give transfusion and save his life. And then, you know, they fall madly in love. … But this was a really romantic, amazing story.
Presenter asks
11:40I wonder if you consider yourself a survivor of your childhood?
The keepsakes
The book
P.D. Ouspensky
I really love Gorgiev … but Ospensky find a way how to translate his teachings … in much kind of simpler way.
The luxury
the one thing that I'm living in is blanket, is a cashmere made, is a triple four time knitted cashmere, very thick … It's great for the winter … sleeping on it, making tent out of it, it's multipurposal.
I never felt happiness at home. I never felt in my home the mother and father never even talked and they were incredible violent to each other. … Only much later when I actually see the other families and see how happiness can look like, then I really felt that I was completely deprived from all of that. … But at the same time, I will not change anything. … I began so strong. And now I'm doing this work 55 years. And, you know, I'm 77. And, you know, people go to pension and they stop working. I'm not even thinking of stop working.
Presenter asks
18:03What were you expecting to happen [during Rhythm 0] and what actually happened that day?
I didn't expect anything. I was just angry. … So the public in the beginning, they come and they play with me. … Then they start getting more and more violent … they cut my t-shirt, then they take roses, the pin of the roses that stuck into my body, then they cut under my neck, then they start drinking the blood. … And then there was also a pistol put in, bullet in the pistol, put into my hand, and the person was squeezing my hand. … And I came to the hotel and I looked myself in the mirror and I had a piece of gray hair. And that I knew the public can kill you.
Presenter asks
27:11What was the thinking behind [The Artist is Present]?
So first of all, in many of your questions you always want me to admit my change and I'm always trying to avoid and to kind of reject. But now I have to give up. … The whole skin was in pain. … I have to train for this piece an entire year, you know, like astronaut. … I experience unconditional love. I develop unconditional love for every human being sitting in front of me, old, young, sick, healthy, child, whoever. And this was opening of the heart, which is really painful. … And I was a different person.
Presenter asks
32:44How does the idea of solitude appeal?
Oh, I love solitude. I spent three months in in the forest, in a cell, just repeating mantra. … And after three months, when I finished this one million whatever mantras, I send message to monastery and they bring me down and I have to burn all my possessions and then I was ready to go. And so solitude is something I love. I don't love loneliness is one thing. With loneliness you suffer. But solitude is, for an artist, is absolutely necessity.
“The function of an artist is a function of a servant.”
“I never felt happiness at home.”
“I knew the public can kill you.”
“I experience unconditional love. I develop unconditional love for every human being sitting in front of me.”
“Solitude is, for an artist, is absolutely necessity.”