Jay Z was inspired by highly acclaimed performance artist Marina Abramovic’s “The Artist is Present” for the concept of his Magna Carta Holy Grail video “Picasso Baby,” and Abramovic is shedding light on her distaste for the rapper after the project.
During an interview with Spike, Marina said that she and Jay Z spoke the day before the video shoot and she agreed to participate if he would help support and grow her “Marina Abramovic Institute.” The program serves as a platform for various art forms, but the famed performance artist said that Jay turned his back on their deal after the “Picasso Baby” video shoot.
When asked about her decision to appear in the video, Marina replied, “YES, BUT THERE WAS ONE REASON FOR THIS THAT I CAN’T TALK ABOUT. I AM VERY PISSED BY THIS, SINCE HE ADAPTED MY WORK ONLY UNDER ONE CONDITION: THAT HE WOULD HELP MY INSTITUTE. WHICH HE DIDN’T.”
She added, “The day before, he came to my office and I gave him an entire power point presentation and said: okay, you can help me, because I really need help to build this thing. Then he just completely used me. And that wasn’t fair.”
In the end, Abramovic says she wouldn’t repeat the situation, “And in the end it was only a one-way transaction. I will never do it again, that I can say. Never. I was really naive in this kind of world. It was really new to me, and I had no idea that this would happen. It’s so cruel, it’s incredible. I will stay away from it for sure.”