Disturbing reason artist allowed spectators to do 'whatever they wanted' to her in harrowing experiment

Warning: This article contains graphic content which some readers may find distressing.

Back in 1974, performance artist Marina Abramović shocked the world by embarking on an experiment, in which she allowed spectators to do 'whatever they wanted' to her without repercussion.

What started out as a tame investigation into the extent of human behaviour soon descended into chaos, however, which resulted in blood being spilled.

The Serbian artist has since reflected on what spurred her to make such a dangerous risk in conducting her 'Rhythm 0' performance art piece.

For those unfamiliar with the piece of work, allow us to catch you up.

Marina put on a captivating display at a gallery in Naples, standing still for six hours straight, instructing spectators to observe the 72 items which had been placed on a table beside her and use them upon her in any way they wish.

"There are 72 objects on the table that one can use on me as desired," an accompanying note read. "Performance. I am the object... During this period I take full responsibility."

Among the plethora of items up for grabs were a rose, feather, perfume, honey, bread, grapes, wine, scissors, a scalpel, nails, a metal bar, a gun and a bullet.

During the initial stages of the experiment, spectators were visibly hesitant, seemingly baffled as to how far they were permitted to go.

The first few hours were littered with passersby, adorning her with the flowers she'd laid out for them and planting kisses on her cheek.

Art critic Thomas McEvilley, who was present the entire time, later told press what he saw that day.

"It began tamely," he recalled. "Someone turned her around. Someone thrust her arms into the air. Someone touched her somewhat intimately. The Neapolitan night began to heat up."

After three hours, however, the atmosphere within the gallery shifted entirely and the experiment descended into a whirlwind of abuse.

While one spectator used a razor blade from the display to cut her clothes from her body until she stood nude, another allegedly used the same instrument to cut her skin.

McEvilley recalled: "Her throat was slashed so someone could suck her blood. Various minor sexual assaults were carried out on her body. She was so committed to the piece that she would not have resisted rape or murder."

Among the other horrific things inflicted upon the artist was that a knife was placed dangerously between her legs, while a gun was thrust to her head, with her own finger being placed on the trigger.

Others, however, wiped her tears and protected her, with some even fighting some of the most 'dangerous' members of the crowd.

Throughout the entire ordeal, however, Marina remained straight-faced and refused to give in to her fear.

Following the experiment, she opened up about the lessons it had taught her about the influence of crowd mentality, and admitted she was prepared to sacrifice her life for the sake of knowledge.

Speaking in a video shared on the Marina Abramović Institute YouTube channel in 2016, she recalled: "I start moving. I start being myself [...] and, at that moment, everybody ran away. People could not actually confront with me as a person.

"The experience I drew from this piece was that in your own performances you can go very far, but if you leave decisions to the public, you can be killed."

And according to The Guardian, Marina said: "I was ready to die."