Art

Marina Abramović: Transforming Energy in Venice

Marina Abramović celebrates her 80th birthday with Transforming Energy at Gallerie dell’Accademia Venice during the 61st Biennale Arte, May 6–October 19, 2026.

Por: Angela Leon Cervera
Marina Abramović
“Transforming Energy” by Marina Abramović at Modern Art Museum (MAM) Shanghai; Credit: Yu Jieyu

In 2026, Venice will once again become the stage for a historic encounter between past and present. Marina Abramović, the internationally acclaimed pioneer of performance art, will celebrate her 80th birthday with Transforming Energy, a landmark exhibition at the Gallerie dell’Accademia, opening May 6 and running through October 19 during the 61st Biennale Arte.

 

Curated by Shai Baitel, Artistic Director of the Modern Art Museum (MAM) Shanghai, in close collaboration with the artist, the exhibition marks the first time a living female artist has been honored with a major show at the Gallerie. Abramović’s practice will inhabit both the museum’s permanent galleries and temporary spaces, embedding her vision into the cultural fabric of Venice itself.

Marina Abramović
Portrait of artist Marina Abramović is by Clara Melchiorre

What Makes Transforming Energy a Historic Milestone?

Abramović’s exhibition goes beyond retrospective; it is an embodied experience. Visitors are invited to engage with her Transitory Objects—stone beds and crystal-encrusted structures—by lying, sitting, or standing upon them, activating what she calls “energy transmission.”

 

Highlights include iconic works such as Imponderabilia (1977), Rhythm 0 (1974), Light/Dark (1977), Balkan Baroque (1997), and Carrying the Skeleton (2008). Projections of early performances accompany newly commissioned pieces, reflecting her lifelong exploration of endurance, vulnerability, and transformation.

 

This duality—archival and immediate—positions Abramović not only as a witness to her own past but also as a creator of renewed artistic energy.

Marina Abramović
“Transforming Energy” by Marina Abramović at Modern Art Museum (MAM) Shanghai; Credit: Yu Jieyu
Marina Abramović
“Transforming Energy” by Marina Abramović at Modern Art Museum (MAM) Shanghai. Photo: @abramovicinstitute

How Does the Exhibition Connect Renaissance and Performance Art?

A defining moment in Transforming Energy is the juxtaposition of Pietà (with Ulay) (1983) with Titian’s final, unfinished Pietà (c. 1575–76, completed by Palma Giovane). Marking the 450th anniversary of Titian’s masterpiece, this dialogue reimagines the Renaissance typology of grief, transcendence, and redemption through the lens of contemporary performance.

 

Abramović underscores the human body as both vessel of suffering and site of spiritual elevation. By staging her work alongside Venetian Renaissance icons, the exhibition affirms the continuity of artistic inquiry across centuries, bridging corporeal experience and metaphysical reflection.

Why Is Venice the Perfect Setting for Abramović’s Vision?

Venice has long been a nexus of trade, culture, and material experimentation. Abramović’s use of quartz, amethyst, and other natural elements resonates with the city’s tradition of mosaic craftsmanship and Renaissance quests for material and spiritual transformation.

 

By placing the visitor’s body at the center, the exhibition redefines spectatorship: less passive observation, more durational presence and inner change. In her own words, Abramović recalls her first visit to Venice as a 14-year-old—overwhelmed to tears by the city’s beauty. Now, returning as the first woman to occupy the Gallerie in this way, she completes a lifelong dialogue with the city that shaped her.

Marina Abramović
“Transforming Energy” by Marina Abramović at Modern Art Museum (MAM) Shanghai. Photo: @abramovicinstitute

Transforming Energy is not just an exhibition; it is a living encounter between body, art, and history. By inhabiting the Gallerie dell’Accademia during the Biennale Arte, Abramović reaffirms her place as a pioneer while Venice reasserts its role as a crossroads of transformation.

 

From crystal beds to Renaissance masterpieces, the show celebrates an artist who has redefined performance as both endurance and transcendence. For Venice, it is a celebration of legacy. For Abramović, it is a radiant milestone at 80—a return, a renewal, and a profound transmission of energy.

FAQ

  • When does the exhibition open? Transforming Energy opens on May 6, 2026, and runs until October 19, 2026.
  • Where is the exhibition held? At the Gallerie dell’Accademia in Venice, during the 61st Biennale Arte.
  • Who curated the show? The exhibition is curated by Shai Baitel, in close collaboration with Marina Abramović.
  • Why is the exhibition significant? It marks Abramović’s 80th birthday and makes her the first living female artist to be honored with a major show at the Gallerie dell’Accademia.
  • What can visitors expect? Interactive Transitory Objects, iconic works like Rhythm 0 and Balkan Baroque, and a powerful dialogue between Abramović’s Pietà (with Ulay) and Titian’s final Pietà.

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