Artist miles Greenberg presents durational performance in New York

Canadian artist Miles Greenberg presented a six-hour durational performance titled “WAR” (2026) at the former 86th Street Cinema in New York.

The piece, organized by Performa and curated by Zoe Lukov, featured more than 40 performers walking on treadmills while listening to a trance-like score by artist Chino Amobi. Greenberg developed his practice after seeing Marina Abramović perform at the Museum of Modern Art as a child.

His work often references historical figures and archetypes, such as the Greek mythological satyr Marsyas or the Christian martyr Saint Sebastian. He uses these figures to place his own identity as a queer Black person directly within the established canon of art history rather than on its margins. The artist faced challenges securing a venue for the project due to the ongoing conflict in Palestine.

Greenberg views the performance as a way to explore the limits of human endurance and to reach emotional states that are otherwise difficult to access. He describes his work as a strategic way to channel the imagination of the audience toward specific historical and moral meanings.