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An Artist’s Life Manifesto

1. An artist’s conduct in his life:  

– An artist should not lie to himself or others  
– An artist should not steal ideas from other artists  
– An artist should not compromise for themselves or in regards to the art market  
– An artist should not kill other human beings  
– An artist should not make themselves into an idol  
– An artist should not make themselves into an idol  
– An artist should not make themselves into an idol  

2. An artist’s relation to his love life:  

– An artist should avoid falling in love with another artist  
– An artist should avoid falling in love with another artist  
– An artist should avoid falling in love with another artist  

3. An artist’s relation to the erotic:  

– An artist should develop an erotic point of view on the world  
– An artist should be erotic  
– An artist should be erotic  
– An artist should be erotic  

4. An artist’s relation to suffering:  

– An artist should suffer  
– From the suffering comes the best work  
– Suffering brings transformation  
– Through the suffering an artist transcends their spirit  
– Through the suffering an artist transcends their spirit  
– Through the suffering an artist transcends their spirit  

5. An artist’s relation to depression:
– An artist should not be depressed  
– Depression is a disease and should be cured  
– Depression is not productive for an artist
– Depression is not productive for an artist  
– Depression is not productive for an artist  

6. An artist’s relation to suicide: 

– Suicide is a crime against life  
– An artist should not commit suicide  
– An artist should not commit suicide  
– An artist should not commit suicide  

7. An artist’s relation to inspiration: 

– An artist should look deep inside themselves for inspiration  
– The deeper they look inside themselves, the more universal they become  
– The artist is universe  
– The artist is universe  
– The artist is universe  

8. An artist’s relation to self-control: 

– The artist should not have self-control about his life  
– The artist should have total self-control about his work  
– The artist should not have self-control about his life  
– The artist should have total self-control about his work  

9. An artist’s relation with transparency:  

– The artist should give and receive at the same time  
– Transparency means receptive  
– Transparency means to give  
– Transparency means to receive  
– Transparency means receptive  
– Transparency means to give  
– Transparency means to receive  
– Transparency means receptive  
– Transparency means to give  
– Transparency means to receive  

10. An artist’s relation to symbols:  

– An artist creates his own symbols  
– Symbols are an artist’s language  
– The language must then be translated  
– Sometimes it is difficult to find the key  
– Sometimes it is difficult to find the key  
– Sometimes it is difficult to find the key

11. An artist’s relation to silence:  

– An artist has to understand silence  
– An artist has to create a space for silence to enter his work  
– Silence is like an island in the middle of a turbulent ocean  
– Silence is like an island in the middle of a turbulent ocean  
– Silence is like an island in the middle of a turbulent ocean  

12. An artist’s relation to solitude:  

– An artist must make time for the long periods of solitude 
– Solitude is extremely important  
– Away from home  
– Away from the studio  
– Away from family
– Away from friends  
– An artist should stay for long periods of time at waterfalls  
– An artist should stay for long periods of time at exploding volcanoes  
– An artist should stay for long periods of time looking at the fast running rivers  
– An artist should stay for long periods of time looking at the horizon where the ocean and sky meet  
– An artist should stay for long periods of time looking at the stars in the night sky 

13. An artist’s conduct in relation to work:  

– An artist should avoid going to the studio every day
– An artist should not treat his work schedule as a bank employee does  
– An artist should explore life and work only when an idea comes to him in a dream or during the day as a vision that arises as a surprise  
– An artist should not repeat himself  
– An artist should not overproduce  
– An artist should avoid his own art pollution  
– An artist should avoid his own art pollution  
– An artist should avoid his own art pollution  

14. An artist’s possessions:  

– Buddhist monks advise that it is best to have nine possessions in their life:  
1 robe for the summer  
1 robe for the winter 
1 pair of shoes  
1 begging bowl for food  
1 mosquito net  
1 prayer-book  
1 umbrella  
1 mat to sleep on  
1 pair of glasses if needed  
– An artist should decide for himself the minimum personal possessions they should have  
– An artist should have more and more of less and less  
– An artist should have more and more of less and less  
– An artist should have more and more of less and less

15. A list of an artist’s friends:  

– An artist should have friends that lift their spirits  
– An artist should have friends that lift their spirits  
– An artist should have friends that lift their spirits 

16. A list of an artist’s enemies:  

– Enemies are very important  
– The Dali Lama has said that it is easy to have compassion with friends but much more difficult to have compassion with enemies  
– An artist has to learn to forgive  
– An artist has to learn to forgive 
– An artist has to learn to forgive  

17. Different death scenarios:  

– An artist has to be aware of his own mortality  
– For an artist, it is not only important how he lives his life but also how he dies  
– An artist should look at the symbols of his work for the signs of different death scenarios 
– An artist should die consciously without fear  
– An artist should die consciously without fear  
– An artist should die consciously without fear  

18. Different funeral scenarios:  

– An artist should give instructions before the funeral so that everything is done the way he wants it  
– The funeral is the artist’s last art piece before leaving  
– The funeral is the artist’s last art piece before leaving 
– The funeral is the artist’s last art piece before leaving

Marina Abramovic