marina ambramovic & ulay laysiepen, death self, 1977
(this performance consisted of the two artists seated in front of each
other, connected at the mouth.
they took in each other’s breaths until
all of their available oxygen had been used up.
the performance lasted
only 17 minutes, resulting in both artists collapsing unconscious to the
floor, having filled their lungs with carbon dioxide.
this personal
piece explored the idea of an individual’s ability to absorb the life of
another person, exchanging and destroying it.)