The Day I Counted Rice With Marina Abramovic
6 hours counting grains of rice, really?
Some weeks ago I saw the advertisement in the street next to my office. Marina Abramovic was coming to Genève. Yep. Big art news for the small and beautiful international Geneva, a town in Switzerland (my home for the last 43 months and 5 days), where the highlight of the past week, the real talk of the town, was the opening of a new supermarket that will work on Sundays.
I was really wondering why she was planning to come. The answer: to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Centre of Contemporary Art of Geneva, the first of its kind in the French-speaking part of Switzerland, and a place she already knew back in 1987. Geneva was ready to host again Marina Abramovic for a big event: Counting the Rice.
Yes. Counting grains of rice. And lentils. For six hours, non-stop. An exercise aimed to "develop the participants' endurance, concentration, perception, self-control and willpower", as well as to "allow the public to stretch their physical and mental limits".
When I read the description and the objectives of the exercise, I didn't hesitate for a second and immediately signed up for taking part of it. I received a quick answer and suddenly I was ready for my first live encounter with, as I explained to my friends, the Lionel Messi of Performing Arts.
I shared such big news with friends and people that I have common interests with, and the only one that joined me for the new experience was a very talented designer & art critic from Neuchatel, Murielle Badet.
Finally the day arrived. Saturday May 3. My friend Murielle texted me. She took an early train and was arriving to the Centre just before me. I was in a hurry, but still managed to get 30 minutes before the exercise was supposed to start. I wanted to take advantage while the artist is present and exchange with Marina a word or two. And take a selfie, of course.
Murielle, one Italian guy and me where the first three participants in the building. We were welcomed by a very nice lady in a white robe with the MAI (Marina Abramovic Institute) red logo. She verified that we were effectively registered for voluntary counting rice grains (and lentils) for 6 hours, and we started our way up to the 2nd floor.
The room where the exercise took place was quite big, and had a site specific X structure designed by architect Daniel Libeskind and produced by the Italian firm Moroso, that can host, easily, around 30-35 people. Everything was ready.
By the time Marina Abramovic entered the room, the vast majority of participants were already wearing a white robe. It felt as if we were part of an experiment. She said "Hi! Thank you for coming". She had such a powerful presence and charisma, that we all were admiring how easy going she seemed to be. After greeting some of the attendants, she exchanged some views with staff of the Centre and then came back with the group of participants.
She explained the exercise and mentioned how often we think about the past, or worry about the future, but that we rarely take the time to think about the present or to admire simple things. She mentioned also how technology absorb a big part of our lives nowadays, and the importance of repetition in the history of performing arts. Abramovic described how, through the next couple of hours we might experience a number of phases: we will question ourselves, probably feel relaxed, frustrated, angry, and in many other ways, in no particular order.
She shared with us some of her previous experience as a performing artist, like the long days at MoMA (specially on Fridays when they close at 20:00!), and how the mental preparation is extremely important for letting know the body you're not going to be satisfied with your most basic human needs (eating, drinking, going to the bathroom, walking, talking). Amazingly so, the body says: OK, Ça va.
Marina asked if we had any questions. I think we had many. I asked "Why 6 hours, why not 4, why not 10?" She laughed, and later when faced with the same question she gave a very straightforward answer: "That's the opening time of the Centre!" and certainly it was enough time to experience many emotions.
The artist gave some wise recommendations to everyone: go to the toilet. While everyone rushed to such facilities, I understood it was my opportunity to say hello. I waited while a young guy showed her a picture with a green effect on it, I guess from his authorship. Then I saw how a blonde woman was visibly excited about her chance for getting a picture with Marina Abramovic. And she took it.
Finally it was my turn:
- Hi Marina. My name is Dante, its a real pleasure to meet you *hand shake*
- Oh, Dante! Like the Italian author.
- Yes! My parents are big fans of him, and its quite a name for a Mexican.
- Oh, I love Mexico. I'm going to perform there in 2015.
- Really? Have you visited Tulum?
- Not really, only Mexico City.
- Well, then you should! Tulum is a magic place. Hey, I'm very excited about the exercise. I shared this with my friends and they gave me a number of tips, like bringing a scale to weight some rice and then make an estimation, haha.
- Haha, that's funny.
By that time, everyone was ready to start. She gave us some final tips and said that one person that did the exercise before, finished it very quickly. Apparently, he only counted the lentils and estimated that the rice was about the same quantity. "That's the easy way", she said. If we only do the things the easy way, what's the point? "Believe me; you will enjoy it more the hard way".
I took that sinuous path. I tried hard. It took me about 6 hours and 40 minutes. I couldn't finish. My head was about to explode. I barely moved from my place, and I only stand up once for stretching my legs. I didn't follow any plan since, anyway, a plan never survives the first contact with the enemy. I started by grouping elements of 5 grains of rice and 5 lentils. Then in groups of 10. Then of 20, then 50, then 100, then 200, and then time's up.
In the meanwhile, the regular visitors of the gallery were staring at us, taking pictures. I would really like to know what they were thinking about us. I learned a lot. I was able to think about many things, from very different perspectives. Some simple, some more creative. I enjoyed the experience afterwards, emotionally and intellectually.
Just before leaving the room, I took the time to admire the work of others. Each mind a world of its own. Some talented, gifted people next to me abandoned the exercise after a couple of hours. Some counted the rice in a very methodical way. Some participants came from elsewhere in Switzerland. Some from neighbouring France and Italy. And, we heard, there was someone, a person who flew from the UK, that was aiming to take part on the exercise the 8 possible days. Good luck.
My final count?
Rice: 2,315
Lentils: 2,355
Thanks, Marina. I had a great day.
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You can take part of "Counting the rice", in Geneva, until May 11, 2014. Visit www.centre.ch for more info, or send them an e-mail at presse@centre.ch
Marina before the exercise
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