Peace and quiet: Will Marina Abramović be able to silence the Glastonbury crowd for 7 minutes?

Glastonbury has hosted some of the world’s loudest rock bands and is known for its rowdy crowds and loud speakers.

What could be more audacious than asking for silence at an event of this magnitude?

Marina Abramović, the acclaimed performance artist who has dedicated her life to pushing the boundaries of conceptual art, is set to stage her largest participatory work ever at Worthy Farm tonight.

At 5:55 p.m. GMT, just before PJ Harvey’s set, the 77-year-old Serbian artist will take the Pyramid stage for seven minutes of silence.

Hardly out of place for a performer who has done nude stand-ins, she posed in the center of a burning wooden star and stood motionless while the audience was encouraged to use objects on her ranging from a rose to scalpels to nails and even a loaded gun.

Still, asking 200,000 music fans to remain silent for a short period of reflection is impressive.

“Silence is a powerful tool that allows us to communicate with ourselves and each other in a way that words cannot,” Abramović says.

“I don’t know any visual artist who has done something like this in front of 175,000 to 200,000 people,” Abramović says. “The biggest audience I’ve ever had was 6,000 people in a stadium and I was like, ‘wow,’ but this really surpasses anything I’ve done.”

Abramović calls the piece “Seven Minutes of Collective Silence” and rather than a performance, she calls it a “public intervention” – one that she hopes will inspire festival-goers to think about the current state of the world and to align with the theme of Glastonbury 2024: peace.

“At a festival like Glastonbury, where sound and energy are constantly evolving, these seven minutes of collective silence provide a unique opportunity for unity and introspection. It’s about being present together, experiencing the power of silence together. »

She adds: “We are truly facing a dark moment in human history. So what can be done? I always think protest leads to more protest; hatred leads to more hatred. I think it’s important to turn inward. It’s easy to criticize everything else, but what can I do for myself, how can I change?

We’ll find out later tonight if the Pyramid Stage audience will be receptive to this “public intervention” and can tone it down before their evening with PJ Harvey, LCD Soundsystem and Dua Lipa – all of whom are expected to bring the decibel scale back to levels from Glasto.

“It’s a big risk, that’s why I’m terrified,” Abramović shares. “I could fail completely, or people could just sit there. I don’t know, but I want to take the risk. Failure is also important, you learn from failure as well as success,” she said.

Festival director Emily Eavis seems confident.

“We are honored that Marina Abramovic brings such a meaningful and profound experience to Glastonbury,” says Eavis. “His work has always pushed boundaries and inspired deep reflection, and we believe this moment of collective silence will be a memorable and impactful addition to the festival.”

Glastonbury will take place from June 26 to July 1, 2024.