Performance art is a form of artistic expression that challenges the conventional boundaries between art and life, artist and audience, body and canvas. Some performance artists use nudity as a way to confront social norms, provoke reactions, and explore the meaning of identity, sexuality, and spirituality.

In this article, we will focus on one of his naked performance art pieces: ‘Bread And Wine’, which draws inspiration from the Bible and the act of taking bread and wine. This act holds significant spiritual and symbolic meaning. As it is commonly associated with the sacrament of the Eucharist or Communion.

The Biblical Background of Bread and Wine

In the New Testament of the Bible, the Last Supper is a pivotal event that took place on the night before Jesus’ crucifixion. During this gathering with his disciples, Jesus shared a meal with them, which included bread and wine. He broke the bread, gave thanks, and distributed it to the disciples, saying, “Take, eat; this is my body.” He also took a cup of wine, blessed it, and passed it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. For this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.”

The Last Supper is seen as a foreshadowing of Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross and his resurrection from the dead. It also establishes a new relationship between God and humanity based on grace and forgiveness.

Spiritually

Bread and wine believe that they spiritually receive the body and blood of Christ. This ritual symbolizes the spiritual nourishment and unity of believers with Christ and with one another.

The use of bread and wine in the Bible carries profound symbolism. Bread represents nourishment, sustenance, and Jesus’ body given for the redemption of humanity. Wine symbolizes the blood of Jesus, shed for the forgiveness of sins and the establishment of a new covenant between God and humanity.

The Performance Art Piece ‘Bread And Wine’

The art piece ‘Bread And Wine’ is inspired by the biblical act of taking bread and wine, but it also challenges and subverts its traditional interpretation and practice. In his piece, Mukarno strips naked in public spaces, such as churches, museums, or streets, and offers bread and wine to passersby. He invites them to join him in a communal meal that transcends the boundaries of religion, culture, and morality.

The piece is a provocative and controversial statement that questions the norms and values of society. He exposes his vulnerability and humanity to the public eye, confronting them with their own prejudices and fears. He also exposes the hypocrisy and corruption of institutions that claim to represent God but fail to live up to his standards.

Creativity

The creative and spiritual expression explores the meaning of identity, sexuality, and spirituality. He uses his body as a medium to communicate his message and his vision. He also uses bread and wine as symbols of life, nourishment, and communion with God and with others.

Mukarno’s piece is a performance art piece that aims to create a dialogue and a reaction among the viewers. He challenges them to rethink their assumptions and beliefs about art, religion, and society. He invites them to participate in his performance or to observe it from a distance. He hopes to inspire them to reflect on their own lives and their relationship with God and with others.

The Performance Art Festival PAB Open 2017

PAB Open 2017 was an extraordinary art experience that offered hundreds of performances in various venues across Bergen. The festival had an open call for artists who wanted to test out new performative expressions in a professional setting. The festival also provided the audience with an insight into what was happening in the field of performance art in Bergen and Norway.

Fish Market

‘Bread And Wine’ is performed outside at the Fish Market in Bergen, a popular tourist attraction and a symbol of the city’s maritime heritage. He performed in front of a large crowd of curious and shocked spectators, who witnessed his naked body and his offering of bread and wine. He created a contrast between the commercial and the sacred, the mundane and the sublime, the flesh and the spirit.

His piece was one of the many highlights of PAB Open 2017, a festival that showcased the diversity and creativity of performance art in Norway and beyond.

Meaning

It is inspired by the Bible and the act of taking bread and wine, which holds significant spiritual and symbolic meaning. He strips naked in public spaces and offers bread and wine to passersby, inviting them to join him in a communal meal that transcends the boundaries of religion, culture, and morality.

The Fish Market in Bergen, creates a contrast between the commercial and the sacred, the mundane and the sublime, the flesh and the spirit.

His piece is a provocative and controversial statement that questions the norms and values of society. It is also a creative and spiritual expression that explores the meaning of identity, sexuality, and spirituality. It is a performance art piece that aims to create a dialogue and a reaction among the viewers. It is a naked performance art piece that draws inspiration from the Bible and the act of taking bread and wine.