Portrait with Scorpion #594

This evocative self-portrait featuring a scorpion is an homage to Frida Kahlo. In 1938, Kahlo painted Self-Portrait with Monkey, where the monkey—symbolising desire in Mexican mythology—sits tenderly beside her, embraced in a gesture of quiet protection. Abramović, however, replaced the monkey's gentle presence with the scorpion's lethal intensity, a creature embodying danger and resilience. This stark contrast reflects Marina Abramović's artistic ethos, delving into the tension of extremes and the confrontation of fear that defines much of her performative work.