A week after the House with the Ocean View
25 jun 2024
From June 5 to 16, Jia-Yu Chang Corti performed The House with the Ocean View. In this re-performance of the work by Marina Abramović, she lived in the museum’s exhibition area for twelve consecutive days and nights following strict rules that include fasting, being silent and showering three times daily. A week after the performance, she shares her experience.
Since returning to London last Wednesday, a sense of calm and ease has prevailed. I was feeling rather energetic in the hotel in Amsterdam because of the meetings and post-show excitement. My sister was looking after me for the 3 days and we had a lot to catch up on. It was a great way to get out of the performance.
At the moment, I don’t think about the performance much, just drifting in the summer lull. There seems to be nothing to do but feeding and sleeping.
Stedelijk though has given an anchoring effect, as that place has set deep in my consciousness. It’s a very intimate connection, knowing I’ve breathed and dreamed within the museum space day and night for 12 days.
Thank you to those audiences with whom I’d form a temporary community in my most delicate states. The connection has deeply touched me, the knowing nodding of heads, the smiles, the gentle acknowledgment of our mutual appreciation, the time passed in your presence, the memories of the past mingling with the present and the imagery of the future, with such focus and clarity.
I want to thank Marina Abramović for her wise, loving and caring guidance to the performance, MAI (Billy Zhao and Rebecca Davis) for their generous support, previous The House with the Ocean View performers Kira O’Reilly and Elke Luyten for their encouragement and sharing of their experiences, and the support team at Stedelijk. I have been so blessed with and humbled by the dedication of team Stedelijk from curator Karen Archey, Head of security Alvaro Kinkelaar, Project manager Hedwig Wösten, Producer Anouk van Amsterdam, doctor Rikkert Oosterhoff to all the supporting staff, security team, and housekeeping personnel who took care of me day in and day out during those 12 days. And of course, the nutritionist, Lucy Slater, whose incredible knowledge and experience allowed me to get through the fasting and beyond. Lucy, your pre and post-performance nutrition plans have changed my life!
It’s still early days and I find myself hesitant to fill words to describe my experience or to assess the impact. I only trust they’ll come to me and all I need to do right now is be curious and open to receive the tremendous gift that is The House with the Ocean View.
— Jia-Yu Chang Corti
The Marina Abramović exhibition is on view for three more weeks. See the show before it closes after July 14!