MMLA 2013 Special Session (Proposed): Is the Artist Present?: Post-Modern Conceptions of the Author (Milwaukee; Nov. 7-10, 2013)
In Marina Abramović's retrospective show at MOMA entitled The Artist Is Present, she invited visitors to sit silently across from her for as long as they chose. In this way, she was "present" in more ways than one: being present was her piece, she was present in her piece, and she presented her piece all simultaneously. This performance and the title of the show raise questions about the role of the artist in contemporary art.