Artist Marina Abramovic’s name has come up in the latest tranche of documents related to Jeffrey Epstein that the Justice Department released on Friday. She is not mentioned in relation to any wrongdoing the late convicted child sex offender was involved in.
Rather, Abramovic’s name pops up in a communication between John Brockman and Epstein where the former lauds Abramovic’s work. The document can be accessed in the DOJ’s library.
“I had a fascinating meeting with Marina Abramovic and HUO last week. I went down to the Sean Kelly Gallery to see her piece which is amazing. Check it out,” the communication said.
“It turns out that in addition to being the premiere performance artist, she is, according to HUO, an accomplished, and high value lecturer on the art circuit. So the plan now is includes her giving a lecture, but being who she is, and depending on her sense of the group, it will morph into something more interesting, probably much more interesting. She’s asked me to write a profile on each of the attendees so she can be prepared. I can send her articles about Tony; you, however, are far more mysterious and intriguing. Is there any press on you I can forward?,” the document continues.
The appearance of Abramovic’s name has sparked outrage among many. “Jeffrey Epstein emails prove that Marina Abramović, an artist widely known for her ‘Spirit Cooking’, invited celebrities to view her performances. Marina Abramović also partnered with Bill Gates first company, Microsoft,” one person wrote.
The ad was deleted by Microsoft when Abramovic was accused of Satanism. Notably, Bill Gates, Microsoft founder, was also mentioned in the Epstein files.
Another person added, “This did not bother anyone in the elite circles as Marina Abramović reached the peak of her career and built a global cult of deviance. In all this, many things connect her with all that is evil and dark.”
Who is Marina Abramovic?
Abramovic was accused of being a Satanist and part of a cult by several right wing groups, which prompted Microsoft to delete the ad they had with her. However, she clarified her stance to ARTnews in a 2016 interview. “Anybody who wants can read my memoirs and find out that [my work] is far away from Satanism…. My work is really more about spirituality and not anything else. I’ve been doing my work for so long, and this is a misunderstanding.”
Abramovic is a Serbian conceptual artist and performer whose practice has sometimes involved trying to commune with the world beyond ours. “Going in search of the unknown, this is the most inspiring thing for an artist,” she’d said in a 2016 documentary.
The satanism allegations came as right wing outlets had picked up on a 1987 performance called Spirit Cooking, where Abramovic scrawled phrases in pig blood. She also published a book of recipes where part of the process of making dishes involved readers committing violent acts. Her biographer had previously stated that carrying out the acts would be a misunderstanding of her intentions, as per ARTnews.
Abramovic has mostly been known for durational performances during the 1970s and ’80s, which involve holding physically rigorous poses for extended periods of time. In 2023, Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelenskyy appointed Abramovic ambassador for rebuilding schools there. This drew controversy. At that time, the late Charlie Kirk had also tweeted about her. “Why is Zelensky picking the “spirit cooking” lady, Marina Abramovic, as an ambassador?,” he’d remarked.
“Why did Zelenskyy, who is in the Epstein files, ask his *close friend* Marina Abramović to be ambassador to of *schools* in Ukraine? The woman that hangs out with Rothschilds, child traffickers and pedophiles. And creates satanic “art” which glorifies violence against children,” a person again asked on X.
Abramovic’s past performance with Jay-Z also came up, as the latter’s name has been mentioned in the latest tranche of documents as well.
She’s also accused the rapper of ‘using her’ but this dispute was later settled and chalked down to a misunderstanding between two artists.