Whispers Ulay on Ulay

Uwe Frank Laysiepen (born 1943), better known as Ulay, has been a pioneer of Polaroid photography and one of the central figures of European performance art since the 1970s. A singular presence among the artists of his generation, his radically innovative work in partnership with Marina Abramovic has received critical acclaim worldwide. With the exception of his 12-year collaboration with Abramovic, much of the work that makes up Ulay's long career is not well known outside of Europe. Compiled by Maria Rus Bojan (who has published extensively on Ulay), "Whispers: Ulay on Ulay" reveals an extremely innovative oeuvre, coherently rooted in a personal life philosophy guided by strong ethical principles. "I produced a very bizarre body of work," Ulay says of his artistic career, "I experimented a lot: You have to if you are aiming at something that does not exist yet." In a long, thematic interview with Alessandro Cassin, Ulay speaks openly about his life and career. This unusually generous volume provides new insight into the early work and current endeavors of the artist.