A groundbreaking art performance comes to a poignant end
In 1988, artists Marina Abramović and Ulay (Frank Uwe Laysiepen) embarked on one of the most memorable performance art pieces in history, walking towards each other from opposite ends of the Great Wall of China. Over 90 days, they each traveled over 1,500 miles before meeting in the middle. However, instead of reuniting in love as originally planned, they said their final goodbyes.
Abramović started her walk at the “dragon’s head” in the east, where the Great Wall meets the Bohai Sea, while Ulay began in the west at the “tail” in the Gobi Desert. The performance, originally envisioned as a romantic union, took years to materialize due to delays in obtaining permission from Chinese authorities. By the time they finally began the walk, their relationship had deteriorated due to infidelity and personal struggles. The once-celebrated couple decided that the meeting would symbolize their parting.
Exploring love, loss, and reflection through art
Speaking to CNN ahead of her first museum exhibition in China, Marina Abramović reflected on the journey and the emotional complexities of love, hate, disappointment, and forgiveness. “We both decided that we have to address new circumstances, which means our separation,” she said. “Great love encompasses everything: love, hate, disappointment, and forgiveness.”
Her new exhibition, Marina Abramović: Transforming Energy, at the Modern Art Museum (MAM) in Shanghai, showcases over 1,200 previously unseen images from their Great Wall walk. The photos, rediscovered in Abramović’s archives, document the various stages of the journey, including encounters with local villagers, stunning landscapes, and moments of isolation.
A spiritual journey across an iconic landscape
As Abramović traversed remote and breathtaking sections of the wall, she encountered local folklore and ancient stories that added a spiritual dimension to the physical trek. “It’s the most incredible landscape… pure poetry,” she recalled, explaining how the folklore of dragons and minerals shaped the mythology of the Great Wall for those she met along the way.
Abramović’s exhibition in Shanghai offers visitors interactive experiences that echo the contemplative nature of her Great Wall journey. From crystal-based objects to meditative installations, her work continues to challenge how people engage with art in the digital age.
An emotional reunion and a final parting
The couple’s paths crossed at a symbolic meeting point between two temples in Shenmu, Shaanxi province. While Ulay arrived three days ahead of Abramović, their reunion was bittersweet. “I wanted to kill him,” she joked, expressing her frustration at his decision to wait for her at a more picturesque location. After their meeting, Abramović learned Ulay had fathered a child with his Chinese translator during the journey. They parted ways and did not see each other again for over two decades.
In 2010, the former lovers had an emotional reunion at the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York during Abramović’s performance The Artist is Present. Ulay unexpectedly sat across from her, and the moment, captured on video, became a viral sensation as Abramović broke her silence to hold his hands in a powerful display of their shared history.
A peaceful end to a tumultuous relationship
Although their relationship took many turns, including a legal battle over their joint works, Abramović and Ulay reconciled before he died in 2020. The two artists found peace during a silent meditation retreat in India, where they forgave one another, bringing their story to a fitting close. “You see, the universe has its own ways,” Abramović said, reflecting on their final moments together.
Now, as she approaches her 78th birthday, Abramović looks back on the Great Wall walk with a sense of wisdom and understanding. “Sometimes you need the wisdom of old age,” she told CNN. “That’s the right time to reflect on the past.”
Marina Abramović: Transforming Energy is on view at MAM Shanghai until February 28, 2025, offering a rare glimpse into one of the most poignant performances in art history.