Heather Rose

A mesmerising literary novel about a lost man in search of connection that is also a meditation on love, art and commitment, set against the backdrop of one of the greatest art events in modern history.

The Museum of Modern Love

Charlotte 

A book you meant to read in 2018 ✔

3.5 stars

I enjoyed reading this book, but I felt that the story lost its momentum in the middle of the story where there was less focus on Levin himself, though it did pick up again towards the end.

Cindy Lieberman

3.4. An artist (composer) disassociated with the people in his life visits and is changed by MOMA’s controversial exhibition of Marina Abramovic’s The Artist is Present, a work of (actual) performance art that requires her to associate, albeit silently, with other people. The novel has a host of other characters such as you might meet in a museum, plus backstory on the artist and other works she’s performed. A bit of a jumble, and neither of the artists comes across as particularly likeable. I was originally drawn to the book because of its interesting cover design and the subject matter, since I remember all the publicity (and controversy) the exhibition generated at the time.

'One of my stand-out Australian reads from 2016 . . . A glorious novel, meditative and special' Hannah Kent, author of BURIAL RITES Arky Levin, a film composer in New York, has promised his wife that he will not visit her in hospital, where she is suffering in the final stages of a terminal illness. She wants to spare him a burden that would curtail his creativity, but the promise is tearing him apart. One day he finds his way to MOMA and sees Mariana Abramovic in The Artist is Present. The performance continues for seventy-five days and, as it unfolds, so does Arky. As he watches and meets other people drawn to the exhibit, he slowly starts to understand what might be missing in his life and what he must do.

Lisa Sieverts 

Really enjoyed this. A nice flavor of New York and beautiful insights in the Artist Mind.

Gary Homewood

Fictional narrative imagining the repercussions and influences of real life endurance performance artist Marina Abramovic and her piece at MOMA "The Artist Is Present", where she sat for 75 days and spectators took turns sitting opposite, maintaining eye contact. Explores the questions of what constitutes art, and the varied nature of human connection. Often moving.

Nicholas Barnard

Cassie B

David Pascuzzo

Rowena Wiseman

Taylor Conacher

Penelope

Emily Morgan

Simon Oosterdijk

Nat Lim

“Art will wake you up. Art will break your heart. There will be glorious days. If you want eternity you must be fearless.” —from The Museum of Modern Love Arky Levin has reached a dead end. Unexpectedly separated from his wife, he suddenly has the space he needs to work composing film scores—but none of the peace of mind he needs to create. As he wanders the city, guilty and restless, it’s almost by chance that he stumbles upon an exhibition that will change his life. The installation the fictional Arky discovers—which is based on a real piece of performance art that took place in 2010—is inexplicably powerful. Visitors to the Museum of Modern Art sit across a table from the performance artist Marina Abramović, for as short or long a period as they choose. Although some go in skeptical, almost all leave moved. And the participants are not the only ones to find themselves changed by this unusual experience: Arky finds himself drawn to the exhibit. He returns day after day to watch other people sit with Abramović—and as he does, he begins to understand what might be missing in his life and what he must do.

The Museum of Modern Love

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