Mamdani Recreates Marina Abramović’s Performance Art at a Queens Museum

New York’s mayor-elect, Zohran Mamdani, hosted a unique 12-hour public appearance at the Museum of the Moving Image (MoMI) in Queens on December 14. This event, dubbed “The Mayor is Listening,” allowed about 140 New Yorkers to engage in private, three-minute conversations with Mamdani. The gathering mirrored Marina Abramović’s “The Artist is Present” performance but focused on intimate political dialogue. Despite being off-limits to the press, these discussions could be viewed through a window from outside the museum. Mamdani’s team, including Dean Fuleihan, Elle Bisgaard-Church, and Lina Khan, were also present to interact with attendees.

Mamdani prioritizes cultural and community engagement, previously hosting a Cultural Institutions Group meeting at MoMI and supporting multilingual educational programs there as a State Assembly member. This approach highlights his commitment to enhancing arts accessibility across New York City.