Marina Abramović has unveiled her latest immersive exhibition, "Seven Deaths," at Cisternerne in Copenhagen, a subterranean former reservoir. The installation features seven films where Abramović reimagines the tragic ends of famous operatic heroines—such as Tosca and Madame Butterfly—originally made famous by Maria Callas. Accompanied by actor Willem Dafoe, Abramović uses these cinematic vignettes to explore themes of heartbreak, endurance, and the cultural fascination with the "tragic feminine."
This exhibition marks a significant continuation of Abramović’s career-long investigation into the female body as a site of both violence and transcendence. By placing these performances in a dark, cavernous environment and subverting traditional operatic endings—such as the gender-bending finale of Norma—she challenges the trope of the woman as a passive victim. The show highlights the enduring influence of Maria Callas on Abramović’s practice and reinforces her status as a leading figure in performance art who uses extreme physical and emotional states to provoke audience reflection.