On my way to Vienna…

As I’m on my way to Vienna, let’s talk briefly about the Viennese Actionism movement of the 60s, 70s!

These are one of my favourite group of their time: not for their work itself but for the fact they are the most provocative artists ever, and no one has done “worst” since. 

Violent and transgressive, they often used the body as a medium in many different ways: blood, urine, vomit, sperm, self mutilation… You name it, they probably did! 

I remember especially their videos. Without sound and changing focus constantly, it succeed to create a real malaise for the viewer. Some are only 1min length but this will be the longest 1min of your entire life. Actually, most are not even watchable entirely and you tend to fast forward it to make it till the end. 

To summarise, they are the most WTF artists who ever (will ever?) existed and for this, I kind of respect them.

Hermann Nitsch, Kreuzwegstation (Station of the Cross), 1961

Otto Muehl, Silberarsch, 1965

Günter Bruss, Self painting, Self mutilation, 1965