The sportswear giant is so much more than three-stripe trainers in their latest collaboration with performance art icon, Marina Abramović
Regarded as “The Godmother of Performance Art,” Marina Abramović has teamed up with sportswear giant, adidas for a collaborative film project as an ode to the 2014 FIFA World Cup™. This year’s competition, celebrated in Brazil, was the inspiration for the short video: a re-staging of the dramatic art doyen’s 1978 production, “Work Relation”. In a three-minute display showcasing the parallels between art and sports performance, the black-and-white film champions the theme of collaboration intrinsic to both disciplines.
Creative director of adidas’ Sport Style Division Dirk Schönberger says: “Marina Abramović is among the most provocative and influential artists of our time. We are honoured to partner with her in the re-enactment of ‘Work Relation’, a piece demonstrating the importance of teamwork and collaboration—not only in sports but in all endeavours.”
The three-sequence performance re-imagined by filmmaker Dustin Lynn, highlights a unique trio of ways human labour can be used to transport stones from one end of a room to another. The three methods use the film’s participants as vehicles for illustrating Abramavić’s different models of cooperation and efficiency.
The artist’s final word? “Working as a team maximises commitment, dedication, and ultimately, performance. Collective energy is a source of great strength.”
CREDITS:
Based on the original “Work Relation” by Marina Abramović and Ulay, 1978
Creative Director: Marco Brambilla
Director: Dustin Lynn
Director of Photography: John Schmidt
Editor: Akiko Iwakawa
Audio Mix: Elizabeth McClanahan
Location: Pioneer Works, Brooklyn, New York
Produced by Subject
In association with the Marina Abramović Institute + adidas
Performers:
Giuliano Argenziano
Victoria Velasco
Billy Zhao
Paula Garcia
Allison Brainard
Thomas Kelly
Hugo Huerta
Serge Le Borgne
Noah Blumenson-Coook
Rebecca Davis
Maria Herranz
Words: Steph King