Marina Feels “Used” By Jay Z
Back in 2013, Jay Z hung out at New York City’s Pace Gallery and performed the Magna Carta Holy Grail track “Picasso Baby” for six straight hours. The footage was turned into a music video featuring appearances from several figures in the art world, including Marina Abramović, whose “The Artist Is Present” work inspired the concept. Now, in a new interview with Spike (as FACT points out), Abramović claims that Hov didn’t live up to promises that were made in exchange for her involvement. Abramović told Spike that she allowed Jay Z to adapt “The Artist Is Present” under the condition that he would help the Marina Abramović Institute, but he didn’t. “The day before, he came to my office and I gave him an entire power point presentation and said: okay, you can help me, because I really need help to build this thing,” she said. “Then he just completely used me. And that wasn’t fair.”
During the performance, the people in attendance were invited to dance with Jay Z, who rapped “Picasso Baby” directly to them. Abramović said participants were “totally used,” and “came out with nothing.” She also described it as a one-way transaction.
“I will never do it again, that I can say,” she said. “Never. I was really naive in this kind of world. It was really new to me, and I had no idea that this would happen. It’s so cruel, it’s incredible. I will stay away from it for sure.”
