Marina Abramovic Tells Life in Short Stories at 80
Marina Abramovic has squeezed 80 years of living into short, sharp stories.
The artist's new book, Marina Abramovic: Long Life, Short Stories, is published by Rizzoli USA and was timed to celebrate her eightieth birthday in 2026, according to the publisher Rizzoli USA. It carries ISBN 9780847877041. It is not a conventional memoir. It is a collection of snapshots from her life.
Some are intimate. The book includes the story of how she lost her virginity. Others are art-world encounters, including the story of cutting garlic with American composer John Cage.
Abramovic was born in 1946 in Belgrade, Yugoslavia Marina Abramovic official biography. She began her artistic career in painting, as she recounted in an interview about her memoir Artnet News. She later pioneered the use of performance as a visual art form, work made through live actions in front of an audience.
That live work is closely linked to her former partner Ulay. The pair had a 12-year romantic and artistic partnership Artnet News. After a rift that lasted three decades, the two reconciled and now exchange daily text messages Artnet News.
The birthday book arrives alongside large public projects. A large-scale project at the Park Avenue Armory in New York is among the major events marking the eightieth year. In Venice, Marina Abramović: Transforming Energy is on view at the Gallerie dell'Accademia in Venice in 2026, running until October 19 Art Basel.
Storytelling on this scale is familiar ground for her. She previously created an immersive installation, work viewers enter and move through, that takes them on a journey through her life story Artnet News. She also contributed a text to the book Last Days of the Opera Artnet News.
What makes this stand out for fans is the size. Short chapters mean you can dip in anywhere. A garlic lesson, a first love, a performance idea. Each one is brief. Together they trace a long life in art.
