--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Performance has to be mainstream art…" description: "\"Performance has to be mainstream art. This is what I'm fighting for.\" — Marina Abramovic" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/916/marina-abramovic-1502_art_performance-has-to-be-mainstream-art-thi_2483964.jpg" --- # Performance has to be mainstream art. This is what I'm… ![“Performance has to be mainstream art. This is what I'm fighting for.” quote by Marina Abramovic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/916/marina-abramovic-1502_art_performance-has-to-be-mainstream-art-thi_2483964.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/916/marina-abramovic-1502_art_performance-has-to-be-mainstream-art-thi_2483964.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/916/marina-abramovic-1502_art_performance-has-to-be-mainstream-art-thi_2483964.jpg) > “Performance has to be mainstream art. This is what I'm fighting for.” [Marina Abramovic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marina-abramovic/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. She argues that performance art should be as accessible and valued as popular culture, fighting for its acceptance. **In simple terms:** Performance art should be mainstream. Key Takeaway Advocate for broader appreciation. Themes art culture accessibility Mood thoughtful determined Type artistic activist When to use this quote - gallery exhibitions - public installations - educational curricula Key Concepts performance mainstream acceptance Questions to Reflect On - How can performance art retain its edge while becoming mainstream? - What barriers prevent wider acceptance? A Different Perspective Mainstream appeal may dilute avant‑garde edge. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) [Mainstream](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mainstream/) [Performance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/performance/) [Performances](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/performances/) ## Related quotes > [Contemporary art photography, or, more specifically, what I would term mainstream art photography, represents for the most part the mining of an exhausted lode.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abigail-solomon-godeau/contemporary-art-photography-or-more-specifically-what-i-would-term/) [Abigail Solomon-Godeau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abigail-solomon-godeau/) > [There is a good deal of art that in some traditions of conceptual work are anti-affect, in fact a very large chunk of mainstream…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-belem/there-is-a-good-deal-of-art-that-in-some-traditions-of-conceptual/) Laura Belem > [I took a lot of physical punishment learning the art of fighting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-shamrock/i-took-a-lot-of-physical-punishment-learning-the-art-of-fighting/) [Frank Shamrock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-shamrock/) > [Kimbo Slice is a character in a world of energy when it comes to the art of fighting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-shamrock/kimbo-slice-is-a-character-in-a-world-of-energy-when-it-comes-to-the/) [Frank Shamrock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-shamrock/) > [My style? You can call it the art of fighting without fighting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-lee/my-style-you-can-call-it-the-art-of-fighting-without-fighting/) [Bruce Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-lee/) > [Performance is there, and if you are not there in that moment it happened, it just stays in the memory. It's so immaterial and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marina-abramovic/performance-is-there-and-if-you-are-not-there-in-that-moment-it/) [Marina Abramovic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marina-abramovic/) > [All the aggressive actions I do to myself I would never dream of doing in my own life - I am not this kind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marina-abramovic/all-the-aggressive-actions-i-do-to-myself-i-would-never-dream-of/) [Marina Abramovic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marina-abramovic/) > [First of all, to do performance art, you really have to give 100 percent. I only know that I have to give 100 percent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marina-abramovic/first-of-all-to-do-performance-art-you-really-have-to-give-100/) [Marina Abramovic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marina-abramovic/) > [Every medium has its advantages and weaknesses and there are many things I can put down on paper that I might not be able…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-wright/every-medium-has-its-advantages-and-weaknesses-and-there-are-many/) [Lawrence Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-wright/) > [I am always really buzzed after each performance, and at around one in the morning, Ill hit a brick wall and need to sleep.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hattie-morahan/i-am-always-really-buzzed-after-each-performance-and-at-around-one-in/) [Hattie Morahan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hattie-morahan/) > [Performance capture is a tool that young actors will need in the next 10, 20 years. It's on the increase, as you say. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-serkis/performance-capture-is-a-tool-that-young-actors-will-need-in-the-next/) [Andy Serkis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-serkis/) > [In acting, you are fulfilled if you give justice to your role... if you are able to do a credible performance and touch the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-hutton/in-acting-you-are-fulfilled-if-you-give-justice-to-your-role-if-you/) [Timothy Hutton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-hutton/) > [There is no better education than rap battling in terms of performance. It makes you fearless.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doc-brown/there-is-no-better-education-than-rap-battling-in-terms-of/) [Doc Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doc-brown/) > [The most important thing about Jazz at Lincoln Center is the fact that it's the first time that perhaps the most important art form…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rafael-vinoly/the-most-important-thing-about-jazz-at-lincoln-center-is-the-fact/) [Rafael Vinoly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rafael-vinoly/) > [The best thing about the term 'performance artist' is that it includes just about everything you might want to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-anderson/the-best-thing-about-the-term-performance-artist-is-that-it-includes/) [Laurie Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-anderson/) ## More by Marina Abramovic > [I really think there's no difference between an art piece made by a man and one made by a woman. Is it a good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marina-abramovic/i-really-think-there-s-no-difference-between-an-art-piece-made-by-a/) [Marina Abramovic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marina-abramovic/) > [I hate studios. A studio is a black hole. I never use a studio to work. It's very artificial to go to a studio…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marina-abramovic/i-hate-studios-a-studio-is-a-black-hole-i-never-use-a-studio-to-work/) [Marina Abramovic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marina-abramovic/) > [In my work I have complete control, but about my life, I don't want to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marina-abramovic/in-my-work-i-have-complete-control-but-about-my-life-i-don-t-want-to/) [Marina Abramovic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marina-abramovic/) > [Performance is there, and if you are not there in that moment it happened, it just stays in the memory. It's so immaterial and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marina-abramovic/performance-is-there-and-if-you-are-not-there-in-that-moment-it/) [Marina Abramovic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marina-abramovic/) > [I can explain my work to the cleaner or the president; it's all the same to me. I am very communist in this way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marina-abramovic/i-can-explain-my-work-to-the-cleaner-or-the-president-it-s-all-the/) [Marina Abramovic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marina-abramovic/) > [My memoirs are full of humor, I had to change jokes because it was a little too dark.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marina-abramovic/my-memoirs-are-full-of-humor-i-had-to-change-jokes-because-it-was-a/) [Marina Abramovic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marina-abramovic/) > [To be in a magazine when you're 20 is okay, but when you do it when you're 65, it's much more fun!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marina-abramovic/to-be-in-a-magazine-when-you-re-20-is-okay-but-when-you-do-it-when/) [Marina Abramovic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marina-abramovic/) > [Most of the time, the artists are not supposed to wear the fashion. It is always seen as a vanity. But I think I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marina-abramovic/most-of-the-time-the-artists-are-not-supposed-to-wear-the-fashion-it/) [Marina Abramovic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marina-abramovic/) > [You know, art is very emotional business. But mostly it becomes not emotional, the fabric of commodity. It becomes business. It becomes so many…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marina-abramovic/you-know-art-is-very-emotional-business-but-mostly-it-becomes-not/) [Marina Abramovic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marina-abramovic/) > [I didn't give any instruction to the video, because it was a new medium. I didn't know what to tell him; it was so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marina-abramovic/i-didn-t-give-any-instruction-to-the-video-because-it-was-a-new/) [Marina Abramovic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marina-abramovic/) > [If I'm not nervous, I'm nervous. You never know how people are going to receive the work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marina-abramovic/if-i-m-not-nervous-i-m-nervous-you-never-know-how-people-are-going-to/) [Marina Abramovic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marina-abramovic/) > [Today, our attention is less than the television advertisement. We're looking at six or seven problems constantly. We're living in the disturbed societies of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marina-abramovic/today-our-attention-is-less-than-the-television-advertisement-we-re/) [Marina Abramovic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marina-abramovic/) > [Art comes from life, not from the studio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marina-abramovic/art-comes-from-life-not-from-the-studio/) [Marina Abramovic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marina-abramovic/) > [All the aggressive actions I do to myself I would never dream of doing in my own life - I am not this kind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marina-abramovic/all-the-aggressive-actions-i-do-to-myself-i-would-never-dream-of/) [Marina Abramovic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marina-abramovic/) > [It's so easy to do things you like. But then, the thing is, when you're afraid of something, face it; go for it. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marina-abramovic/it-s-so-easy-to-do-things-you-like-but-then-the-thing-is-when-you-re/) [Marina Abramovic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marina-abramovic/) [Explore all 234 Marina Abramovic quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marina-abramovic/) ## More Art quotes > [True works of art contain their own theory and give us the measurement according to which we should judge them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/true-works-of-art-contain-their-own-theory-and-give-us-the/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [Before Noah, men having only water to drink, could not find the truth. Accordingly...they became abominably wicked, and they were justly exterminated by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/before-noah-men-having-only-water-to-drink-could-not-find-the-truth/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [“Hear the sum of the whole matter in the compass of one brief word — every art possessed by man comes from Prometheus.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aeschylus/hear-the-sum-of-the-whole-matter-in-the-compass-of-one-brief-word/) [Aeschylus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aeschylus/) > [I think most artists feel like they're outside society - no matter how many accolades they receive, or how much money is in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-rose/i-think-most-artists-feel-like-they-re-outside-society-no-matter-how/) [Aaron Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-rose/) > [The capacity to be puzzled is the premise of all creation, be it in art or in science.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/the-capacity-to-be-puzzled-is-the-premise-of-all-creation-be-it-in/) [Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) > [That's the great secret of creativity. You treat ideas like cats: you make them follow you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/that-s-the-great-secret-of-creativity-you-treat-ideas-like-cats-you/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [“So, really," continued Jacob as if this were perfectly normal to expound on art in these circumstances, "when you think about it, the artists…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justina-chen-headley/so-really-continued-jacob-as-if-this-were-perfectly-normal-to-expound/) [Justina Chen Headley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justina-chen-headley/) > [“There are two options in art; either to adopt philosophical life by dissecting art, or to write your own philosophical life and claim it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taf-teh/there-are-two-options-in-art-either-to-adopt-philosophical-life-by/) Taf Teh > [The house has to serve comfort. The work of art is revolutionary; the house is conservative.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolf-loos/the-house-has-to-serve-comfort-the-work-of-art-is-revolutionary-the/) [Adolf Loos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolf-loos/) > [During human progress, every science is evolved out of its corresponding art.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-spencer/during-human-progress-every-science-is-evolved-out-of-its/) [Herbert Spencer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-spencer/) > [In literature and art memory is a synonym for invention. It is the life-blood of imagination, which faints and dies when the veins are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-aris-willmott/in-literature-and-art-memory-is-a-synonym-for-invention-it-is-the/) [Robert Aris Willmott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-aris-willmott/) > [I think a business guy is different from an artist. They walk different paths. Artists create the best outputs when they're having fun. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-dragon/i-think-a-business-guy-is-different-from-an-artist-they-walk/) [G-Dragon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-dragon/) > [“The only thing--I tell you this straight from the heart--that disgusts me in Salzburg is that one can't have any proper social intercourse with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wolfgang-amadeus-mozart/the-only-thing-i-tell-you-this-straight-from-the-heart-that-disgusts/) [Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wolfgang-amadeus-mozart/) > [The sublime in art is the attempt to express the infinite without finding in the realm of phenomena any object which proves itself fitting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georg-wilhelm-friedrich-hegel/the-sublime-in-art-is-the-attempt-to-express-the-infinite-without/) [Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georg-wilhelm-friedrich-hegel/) > [Art isn't done to decorate apartments, but to wage war against the enemy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pablo-picasso/art-isn-t-done-to-decorate-apartments-but-to-wage-war-against-the/) [Pablo Picasso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pablo-picasso/) [Browse all 48,643 Art quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Performance has to be mainstream art. 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