Marina Abramović Institute

Marina Abramović is as one of the most progressive and devoted long-duration performers. Marina is setting up an experience performance center inspired by her own latest project. Abramovic aims to put art, science, technology and spirituality together in the "Marina Abramovic Institute," a dynamic museum which displays what she calls "long durational work." All visitors will become active participants in the art. In 2007, Abramović purchased a building about two hours north of Manhattan which had formerly been a theater, a tennis court, then an antiques warehouse and market place. The artist imagines the Institute to function as a kind of laboratory for exploring time-based and immaterial art forms, including performance, dance, theater, film, video, opera, and music.

Campaign success

This project was successfully funded on 25 August 2013. on  Kickstarter.
It had 4,765 backers.
They pledged $661,452 of $600,000 goal.

This champagne is a proof that large and expensive projects can be crowdfunded. The costs of the project are expected at 20.000.000 dollars. Marina funded the first phase herself. She purchased the building for $950,000 and donated it to the institute. She funded the budget of the MAI office for six months and commissioned the architectural concept (Shohei Shigematsu, Rem Koolhaas). Marina has paid $1.5 million out of pocket towards the early stages of MAI. The reason why she chose to fund the institute through Kickstarter as opposed to private investors was that MAI hoped to gain not only seed money, but to create a community of people around the institute. Marina personally thanked all those who contributed to the creation of MAI by hugging every backer of this Kickstarter at a live event called “The Eembrace”. This event took place in two locations, one in New York City and one in London.

Status on Marina Abramovic facebook profile (6.10.2014.):

“We would like to extend our gratitude to all of the MAI Founders who joined Marina Abramovic and the MAI team at The Embrace this past Saturday at Kickstarter HQ in New York and on September 22nd at Serpentine Galleries in London. We'd also like to thank those who participated in the events via live stream.”

Rewards for donors

Pledge $1 or more

A hug from Marina Abramovic. Location to be determined.

Pledge $5 or more

Video game designer Pippin Barr has teamed up with Marina to create an original 8-bit video game that doubles as a virtual tour of the institute. Receive early access to digital MAI, as well as three Kickstarter-exclusive Abramovic Method games. PLUS a heartfelt thank you on the MAI website.

Pledge $10 or more

Thank you for laying a virtual brick in the foundation of MAI. Your founder status will be commemorated on our official website. Sponsor 10 bricks ($100) and receive a digital COLUMN FOUNDER certificate. Sponsor 100 bricks ($1,000) and receive a digital WALL FOUNDER certificate. Sponsor 1,000 bricks ($10,000) and receive a digital CHAMBER FOUNDER certificate. PLUS Digital MAI reward.

Pledge $20 or more

Marina Abramovic and Shohei Shigematsu (MAI architect, partner at OMA) will give a lecture about MAI via an exclusive live stream. You will receive access to this online event, as well as a digital version of the official MAI Booklet. PLUS MAI Founder and Digital MAI rewards.

Pledge $25 or more

Marina will teach the Abramovic Method SLOW MOTION WALK exercise via live stream. Receive exclusive access to this event. You, Marina, and the other backers at this level will then perform your exercise SIMULTANEOUSLY, creating a large public performance that occurs at the same time in different locations all over the world. You may document your performance and opt to include it in MAI digital archives. PLUS an audio recording of Marina teaching your exercise, MAI 101 Lecture and Digital Booklet, MAI Founder, and Digital MAI rewards.

Pledge $25 or more

Marina will teach the Abramovic Method WATER DRINKING exercise via live stream. Receive exclusive access to this event. You, Marina, and the other backers at this level will then perform your exercise SIMULTANEOUSLY, creating a large public performance that occurs at the same time in different locations all over the world. You may document your performance and opt to include it in MAI digital archives. PLUS an audio recording of Marina teaching your exercise, MAI 101 Lecture and Digital Booklet, MAI Founder, and Digital MAI rewards.

Pledge $25 or more

Marina will teach the Abramovic Method eye gazing exercise via an exclusive live stream. You will find a friend or stranger whose eyes you would like to gaze into. You, your partner, Marina, her partner, and the other backers at this level will then perform this exercise SIMULTANEOUSLY, creating a large public performance that occurs at the same time in different locations all over the world. You may document your performance and opt to include it in MAI digital archives. PLUS an audio recording of Marina teaching your exercise, MAI 101 Lecture and Digital Booklet, MAI Founder, and Digital MAI rewards.

Pledge $50 or more

This reward is for design and architecture buffs! OMA, led by world-renowned architects Rem Koolhaas and Shohei Shigematsu, have created the design plan for MAI. This building is the first of its kind in the world, and you'll receive Kickstarter-exclusive MAI design materials, including OMA’s digital MAI Design Book. PLUS access to ALL $25 live stream exercises / live events, MAI 101 Lecture and Digital Booklet, MAI Founder, and Digital MAI rewards.

Pledge $100 or more

Abramovic Method Exclusives] You will receive a Kickstarter-exclusive DVD that features Marina demonstrating Abramovic Method exercises via a series of short films, videogames, animation, rare archival images, and some surprises. PLUS OMA / MAI Design Package, access to ALL $25 live stream exercises / live events, MAI 101 Lecture and Digital Booklet, MAI Founder, and Digital MAI rewards.

Pledge $100 or more

Abramovic Method Exclusives II] You will receive a set of never-before-seen video materials. This includes extracts of five of Marina's most difficult pieces, rare videos of Marina discussing these works, as well as the entire catalogue of Pippin Barr MAI games and a some very special surprises. PLUS OMA / MAI Design Package, access to ALL $25 live stream exercises / live events, MAI 101 Lecture and Digital Booklet, MAI Founder, and Digital MAI rewards.

Pledge $200 or more

You will receive both $100 level Abramovic Method Exclusives rewards in a special set signed by Marina. This includes a Kickstarter-exclusive DVD that features Marina demonstrating Abramovic Method exercises via a series of short films, video games, animation, and rare archival images. It also includes a set of never-before-seen video materials with extracts of five of Marina's most difficult pieces, rare videos of Marina discussing these works, the entire catalogue of Pippin Barr MAI games, and some very special surprises. PLUS OMA / MAI Design Package, access to ALL $25 live stream exercises / live events, MAI 101 Lecture and Digital Booklet, MAI Founder, Digital MAI, and The Embrace rewards.

Pledge $250 or more

Marina has been working with neuroscientists to develop an interactive, crowdsourced installation called "compatibility racer": a cart controlled by the brainwaves of two drivers! If you back at this level, you’ll receive pre-registration for a ride in the compatibility racer. On top of that, you'll receive a package of digital materials that includes: media clips of Marina’s brain activity from a re-staging of "The Artist Is Present," scans of journals handwritten by Marina and other participants during the experiment, and a few neuroscience-related surprises. PLUS Abramovic Method Exclusives, access to ALL $25 live stream exercises / live events, MAI 101 Lecture and Digital Booklet, MAI Founder (COLUMN FOUNDER), and Digital MAI rewards.

Pledge $500 or more

Take a tour of the MAI and OMA offices in New York City. You'll meet OMA and MAI staff, watch the MAI presentation in person, stand inside large-scale models of the institute created by OMA, and leave with exclusive MAI and OMA materials signed by Marina, Rem Koolhaas, and Shohei Shigematsu. Documentation of this tour will be included in MAI digital archives. PLUS OMA / MAI Digital Design Package, access to ALL $25 live stream exercises / live events, MAI 101 Lecture and Digital Booklet, MAI Founder (COLUMN FOUNDER), and Digital MAI rewards.

Pledge $1,000 or more

You’ll receive a stunning DVD set of rare interviews and materials from the course of Marina's forty-year career, some of which have never been shown. This is truly a unique reward that gives an intimate look into Marina's development as an artist. It includes video, audio, and written interviews as well as a physical copy of the MAI Booklet signed by Marina. PLUS Neuroscience Exclusives, OMA / MAI Digital Design Package, Abramovic Method Exclusives, access to ALL $25 live stream exercises / live events, MAI 101 Lecture and Digital Booklet, MAI Founder (WALL FOUNDER), and Digital MAI rewards.

Pledge $1,000 or more

Marina will perform the Abramovic Method eye gazing exercise with you via webcam. You may document this experience in any way you’d like and opt to include it in MAI digital archives. PLUS Neuroscience Exclusives, OMA / MAI Digital Design Package, Abramovic Method Exclusives, access to ALL $25 live stream exercises / live events, MAI 101 Lecture and Digital Booklet, MAI Founder (WALL FOUNDER), and Digital MAI rewards.

Pledge $5,000 or more

Have a movie night with Marina at an intimate home theater in New York City, during which you will watch one of Marina's favorite movies. Afterwards, you, Marina, and other backers at this level will discuss this film while consuming ice cream and coffee. PLUS Complete Abramovic Method Exclusives, Neuroscience Exclusives, OMA / MAI Digital Design Package, access to ALL $25 live stream exercises / live events, MAI 101 Lecture and Digital Booklet, MAI Founder (WALL FOUNDER), Digital MAI reward, and The Embrace rewards.

Pledge $5,000 or more

Marina will workshop your project of any medium or discipline (art, science, technology, spirituality, etc.) with you via webcam. Your project can be in any stage of development, from idea to completion, and it may become eligible for future MAI programming and promotion by the institute. PLUS Abramovic Method Exclusives, Neuroscience Exclusives, OMA / MAI Digital Design Package, access to ALL $25 live stream exercises / live events, MAI 101 Lecture and Digital Booklet, MAI Founder (WALL FOUNDER), and Digital MAI rewards.

Pledge $10,000

Marina will choose an event to attend with you and four other backers, after which you'll all have lunch in New York City. PLUS MAI and OMA office tour, Neuroscience Exclusives, OMA / MAI Digital Design Package, Abramovic Method Exclusives, access to ALL $25 live stream exercises / live events, MAI 101 Lecture and Digital Booklet, MAI Founder (CHAMBER FOUNDER), and Digital MAI rewards.

Pledge $10,000

Marina will do nothing. You will do nothing. You will not be publicly acknowledged.

Pledge $10,000

A dinner night with Marina during which she will teach you and other backers at this level how to cook a series of traditional soups, which you will all enjoy together. The night will end with the making of a golden ball, a recipe given to Marina in a Tibetan monastery. Marina will bring to this dinner a Spirit Cooking memento for each backer to keep. PLUS MAI and OMA office tour, Neuroscience Exclusives, OMA / MAI Digital Design Package, Complete Abramovic Method Exclusives, access to ALL $25 live stream exercises / live events, MAI 101 Lecture and Digital Booklet, MAI Founder (CHAMBER FOUNDER), Digital MAI rewards, and The Embrace rewards.

Project success

From this point of view, after the champagne ended, Marinas financial supporting was very important for a first phase. People realized that she strongly believes in her idea and backed the project. She is also celebrated artist who made many successful performance art projects. She has a background in a field of performance art and many supporters in art community. She had also support from music celebrities Lady Gaga and Jay-Z.