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“The Scream” (Isbad), 60 x 80 cm., oil on canvas, 2020.

My twentieth self-portrait is entitled “The Scream”. This painting is inspired by Edvard Munch’s iconic painting of the same name, and Marina Abramovic’s fantastic work based upon Munch’s painting. There have been countless interpretations of Edvard Munch’s famous painting. Here I have presented the theme as a self-portrait (in semi-realistic style) which is (like the original) based in Norway. I have subtitled the painting “Isbad” (Ice bath) which is a Nordic winter ritual entailing skinny dipping in ice cold water. Ice bathing is a very old tradition in the Scandinavian countries, and it has a reputation for being both healthy and cleansing. The painting’s protagonist (me) screams in initial shock at the severity of the experience. 

Read my 2013 post about Marina Abramovic’s “The Scream” project here below:

Here are three still photos from the project and film, reprinted with permission from Marina Abramovic:

Still photo from Marina Abramovic’s film “The Scream”, republished with permission from Ekebergparken’s Scream Prosjekt / Marina Abramovic

MARINA ABRAMOVIC UNVEILS HER NEW PROJECT “THE SCREAM” IN OSLO (October 24, 2013).

The exciting evening included the inauguration of View Point The Scream at Ekeberg Sculpture Park, followed by a live performance by Abramovic, and thereafter screenings of excerpts from the documentary about the making of the film, and finally the world premiere screening of the film “The Scream – Oslo participants” (to which I proudly contributed my own scream).

READ MORE ABOUT MARINA ABRAMOVIC HERE!

( Above photo: just one of many wonderful sculptures in the park. See photos of the sculptures HERE! )

All lovers of performance art and the work of Marina Abramovic should really see the film.

Comment: I was a “primal screamer” {Janov} way back in the early 1970s. When I first screamed I was shocked because before that, the only time I had raised my voice or screamed was when I was born. Once, in a primal session, I suddenly re-experienced my journey through my mother’s birth canal. It was amazing! Later, when visiting my mother, I “primal screamed” inside a locked bedroom in my mother’s house for an hour. My mother freaked out, banged on the door furiously for five minutes and then sat down on the floor and listened. When I came out of the room she was sitting on the floor, holding herself, rocking … and she embraced me and thanked me — wishing that she could do the same.