Rhythm 0 (1974) by Marina Abramovic
To test the limits of the relationship between performer and audience, Abramović developed one of her most challenging (and best-known) performances. She assigned a passive role to herself, with the public being the force which would act on her.

Abramović had placed upon a table 72 objects that people were allowed to use (a sign informed them) in any way that they chose. Some of these were objects that could give pleasure, while others could be wielded to inflict pain, or to harm her. Among them were scissors, a knife, honey, a rose, a whip, and, most notoriously, a gun and a single bullet. For six hours the artist allowed the audience members to manipulate her body and actions.

Initially, members of the audience reacted with caution and modesty, but as time passed (and the artist remained impassive) several people began to act quite aggressively.

As Abramović described it later: “What I learned was that…if you leave it up to the audience, they can kill you.” … “I felt really violated: they cut up my clothes, stuck rose thorns in my stomach, one person aimed the gun at my head, and another took it away. It created an aggressive atmosphere. After exactly 6 hours, as planned, I stood up and started walking toward the audience. Everyone ran away, to escape an actual confrontation.”

Rural schools in the Andes Mountains of Argentina are true frontier outposts: the few scattered windows looking out to the civilized world that are available in the far off northwest corner of the country, home of the indigenous Kollas.

The boys and girls that attend them are isolated in their communities and cut off from the urban civilization of an otherwise fast-pace developing country. Through teachers and books they get an imperfect glimpse of that remote urban culture. For some, emigration to the cities is a future option but for many their future is tied to their land, their families and their ancestral routes. A few very powerful routines dominate the daily existence of these students aside from working the land with their parents every day after school. Football for boys and long hair for girls function as status symbols replacing those consuming goods and articles that dominate teenage life in the cities of the globalized world.

Zombie-proof house
A Polish architectural firm has designed the world’s first zombie-proof abode — the “Safe House”. Built between 2005 and 2009, the house features Rubik’s Cube-type movable parts and folds in on itself completely at the end of the day to seal against outside threats.

“Every day the house acts in a similar way — it wakes up every morning to close up after dusk,” says architect Robert Konieczny of KWK Promes.

Located on the outskirts of Warsaw, the Safe House has just one entrance, on the second floor, connected by a drawbridge. For extra security, after crossing the bridge, visitors have to wait within a safety zone before being let into the rest of the house. During the day, the house opens onto a garden and the movable walls change position to create a courtyard.

“There is no risk of children escaping to the street area in an uncontrolled way while playing in the garden,” says Mr Konieczny.