I was friends with Susan Sontag the last four years of her life. She had this amazing charisma and so much energy, but she had a sad little funeral in Montparnasse in Paris. It was rainy. It was all wrong. And I was thinking, 'God, she loved life so much.'
In this quote, Marina Abramovic reflects on her friendship with Susan Sontag, particularly in the last four years of Sontag's life. She describes Sontag as having amazing charisma and an abundance of energy, highlighting the powerful, vibrant personality that Sontag brought to the world. This statement underscores the contrast between the vividness of Sontag’s character and the somberness of her funeral, where the circumstances did not seem to match the intensity of her life.
Abramovic's mention of Sontag's funeral in Montparnasse, Paris conveys a sense of dissonance between the way Sontag lived and how she was remembered. The funeral, described as sad and rainy, evokes feelings of imperfect closure, as though the end of Sontag's life did not honor the joy and passion she had for living. This contrast seems to reflect Abramovic’s internal conflict about how death can feel disconnected from the vibrancy of life, especially for someone who had such a profound love for life.
The quote also reveals Abramovic’s deep emotional reaction to the event, where she could not help but think, "God, she loved life so much," indicating her sense of loss and the sadness she felt at the disparity between Sontag’s zest for life and the finality of death. Abramovic’s words show her reverence for Sontag's character, suggesting that the way someone lives should be reflected in how they are remembered.
Ultimately, Abramovic’s reflection is a meditation on life and death, and how the two can seem disconnected at times. Through her poignant description of Sontag's final moments, Abramovic captures the irony of a life full of energy and joy ending in a way that felt mismatched, inviting us to think about the way we honor lives lived passionately.
TVNguyen tuan vinh
Marina’s account is so intimate, it almost feels like we’re being let in on a private heartbreak. I wonder how many of us carry that lingering feeling—that a beloved person didn’t get the send-off they truly deserved. Is it possible that we sometimes project our grief into the rituals, wishing they could fix what’s ultimately unfixable: loss?
NQTruong Thi Ngoc Quy
I can’t help but feel a sense of injustice reading this. Susan Sontag was such a commanding presence in literature and critical thought. It feels wrong that her farewell didn’t reflect her influence. Do we, as a society, undervalue the role of thinkers and creators when it's time to honor their memory?
LTLuan Tran
This description of Susan Sontag’s funeral evokes a profound contrast between life and death. It makes me curious about how much control we really have over how we are remembered. Is there any way to ensure that our final goodbye reflects our true self, or is it all left in the hands of others once we’re gone?
MNNguyen Man Nghi
It’s touching to hear about the bond Marina Abramovic shared with Susan Sontag. But I’m left wondering—why was the funeral so ‘sad’ and small? Was it due to personal wishes, or did society somehow forget to recognize Sontag’s cultural significance at the end? It raises a broader question: do we sometimes neglect to give public intellectuals the farewells they deserve?
BHBich Hang
I find this quote deeply moving and strangely unsettling. There’s something tragic about a person who lived so fully being honored in a way that feels ‘all wrong.’ It makes me wonder—how often do we fail to truly celebrate a person’s essence after they’re gone? Why do funerals so rarely match the life force of the person they’re for?