If it seems like Marina Abramović is everywhere these days, just wait until the next time you go to transfer some files to a coworker: the artist may be present.
The file-sharing platform WeTransfer has announced that it has partnered with the performance art star for a year’s worth of online programs presented through its editorial arm, WePresent. This includes a “digital manifestation” of The Abramović Method, the artist’s brand of participatory meditation, which, according to a press release from the company, will reach “70 million people worldwide” starting this summer.
In a statement, Abramović called her method an “exploration of being present in both time and space, in a year when reconnecting with ourselves has never been more important.”
“I hope everyone participates and thank WeTransfer for giving me the opportunity to share my ‘method’ with you all,” she continued.
For the first part of the collaboration, which kicks off today, Abramović will inaugurate WePresent’s Guest Curator Series. She’s selected five up-and-coming performing artists around the world—Ana Prvački (who, like Abramović, is Serbian), Maurício Ianês (from Brazil), Yiannis Pappas (Greece), Terence Koh (Canada), and Regina José Galindo (Guatemala)—whose work will be spotlighted on the site next to the file upload window. Click through and you’ll be directed to a lengthy profile of the artist and their work.
“Since the pandemic took hold this time last year, the digital realm has been invaluable in preserving the arts for tomorrow,” said Holly Fraser, WePresent’s editor-in-chief, in a separate statement. “Our new Guest Curator Series continues WePresent’s digital patronage, as we ask established artists in their field to spotlight emerging talent.
“We believe this is vital in a world where the arts need support following an unprecedented, challenging period,” the editor added.
Come September, WePresent will debut a “Time Capsule” of the objects, ideas, and references influencing Abramović’s work. The idea is to give file-transferers a glimpse into the artist’s brain. “We hope that many will feel inspired by Abramović’s legacy and appreciate the power of technology and digital design in creating new art experiences,” Fraser said.
With the partnership, Abramović joins a long list of notable creatives to collaborate with WeTransfer, including Björk, Solange Knowles, and Tyler Mitchell. It’s a prominent platform: according to the company, WePresent boasts four million monthly readers across 190 countries.