Marina Abramović: Jay Z 'Completely Used Me' in 'Picasso Baby' Video

By Madeleine Davies  |  May 20, 2015 | 2:30pm
CelebritiesDirt Bag

In the summer of 2013, Jay Z, adapting the work of artist Marina Abramović, performed his track “Picasso Baby” for six hours to a small crowd at a gallery in Chelsea.While Abramović originally consented to the idea and even appears in the video, she now says that Jay Z did not fulfill his end of the bargain, leaving her feeling “used” and “pissed.”

In an interview with art magazine Spike, Abramović claims that she allowed Jay Z to adapt her “The Artist Is Present” exhibition under the condition that he support the Marina Abramović Institute—an agreement he allegedly never ended up following through on.

As Abramović tells it:

“The day before [the shoot], he came to my office and I gave him an entire power point presentation and said: okay, you can help me, because I really need help to build this thing. Then he just completely used me. And that wasn’t fair.”

Also from the interview:

Jay-Z turned your structure into an economic model: everyone who showed up had been promised to be part of an exclusive event. You fed the one who held the attention capital.
And you were totally used and came out with nothing. It’s very unfair.
When you rubbed your forehead with Jay-Z’s, it seemed like an economical transaction: I grant you the right to use my piece, but in reverse you have to provide a space for my brand within your campaign.
And in the end it was only a one-way transaction. I will never do it again, that I can say. Never. I was really naive in this kind of world. It was really new to me, and I had no idea that this would happen. It’s so cruel, it’s incredible. I will stay away from it for sure.

[Spike]

George Clooney is sick of the haterade and is here to let all you angry fatties know it. “Listen, we’re at sort of a cynical time in society,” he told Vulture. “[…] Now people will come up to me, thinking they’re keeping it real, and they say, ‘I hated you in that last movie!’ And I’ll look at them and go, ‘Well, I think those extra 20 pounds look good on you.’ It’s become a much more cynical time, a time when people think its fun to only be negative.”

20 pounds can be gained or lost, but The Monuments Men is forever. [Vulture]

Following his largely bleeped-out performance at the Billboard Music Awards on Sunday, Kanye West—via his rep—has apologized to fans and scolded ABC for their heavy-handed censorship.

“Kanye West was grossly over-censored at the Billboard Music Awards,” says the rep in a statement. “Non-profane lyrics such as ‘with my leather black jeans on’ were muted for over 30 second intervals. As a result, his voice and performance were seriously misrepresented.”

The statement continues:

“It is ridiculous that in 2015, unwarranted censorship is something that artists still have to fight against. Although West was clearly set up to face elements beyond his control during the live broadcast, he would like to apologize to the television audience who were unable to enjoy the performance the way he envisioned.”

[Gossip Cop]

  • Kim Kardashian claims she was broken up with Kris Humphries before she began pursuing Kanye. Whatever you say, girl. [US Weekly]
  • Speaking of Kim, Chris Pratt feels bad for making a sex tape joke at her expense that ended up on a Parks and Rec bloopers reel. [NYDN]
  • On-again couple Cara Delevingne and St. Vincent are enjoying themselves in Cannes. [Just Jared]
  • Beyoncé poured a $20K bottle of champagne into a hot tub. [Gossip Cop]
  • Of all the reasons Tyga shouldn’t marry Kylie Jenner, this is the one her family has landed on: He’s too broke. Maybe he should borrow some money from Beyoncé? [THG]
  • Jaden Smith once again wore his all-white Batman suit, this time to prom. [Page Six]
  • A friend of Robert Pattinson pulled a Kat Stratford and flashed the paparazzi so that he could get away unnoticed. [TMZ]
  • Congrats to Jennifer Connelly on her very first computer! [Dlisted]

Photos via Getty.

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