Bizarre moment James Franco came face to face with artist who 'let spectators do anything to her for six hours'
Worlds collided as actor James Franco came face to face with one of the most renowned performance artists.
Ever dreamed of being an artist but found that you're unable to draw or paint? Well, why don't you become a performance artist and turn your body into the focal point of the exhibition.
This may sound a little far-fetched but we're not joking, as dozens of artists have made a career this way - with one of the most notable performers being Marina Abramović.
Abramović famously made a name for herself with the 1974 performance 'Rhythm 0' which saw the Serbian allow the public to do whatever they wished to her body.
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The piece ended up descending into chaos, with the now 78-year-old admitting she was 'ready to die' after having her skin slashed and a gun pointed at her head.
After 'Rhythm 0' most of us would probably call it a day, however, Abramović is no one trick pony and has completed many more performance pieces over the years.
One of which brought her face to face with James Franco.
Back in 2010, Abramović performed silent piece 'The Artist Is Present' in front of crowds at New York's Museum of Modern Art. The piece saw Abramović sit silently in the museum's atrium and invite members of the crowd to sit opposite and stare into each other's eyes.
It was during this exhibition that she was greeted by the 127 Hours actor.
Franco wasn't the only famous face to sit across from Abramović either, with celebrities such as Alan Rickman, Björk and Lou Reed also making appearances.
The interaction between the pair caused much debate among viewers, as they were divided on whether or not Franco was struggling not to laugh during the final moments.
"I feel like.. he had to leave because he was about to laugh," one person speculated, while a second added: "I love his little smile of defeat at the end."
However, others took a different opinion of the interaction, believing Franco's expression was a silent thank-you to Abramović.
"Wtf... he was not going to laugh, he was feeling something. Same with her. The performance is about the power of that communication. A really strong and overwhelming thing," argued one viewer.
"James Franco has great respect for Marina Abramovic as an artist. That is not laughter. He is humbled," someone else penned.
It would seem like the latter were more accurate with their assessment, as Franco is widely reported to be a friend of Abramović's. Franco previously interviewed her for the Wall Street Journal in 2009 and allowed himself to be covered in gold leaf by Abramović for Sundance series Iconoclasts.
Topics: Art, Celebrity, Entertainment, James Franco, Marina Abramović
Brenna Cooper