Hermann Nitsch’s Followers (8)

Hermann Nitsch

Born

in Vienna, Austria

August 29, 1938

Website

http://www.nitsch.org/

Genre

Arts & Photography

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Hermann Nitsch is an Austrian artist who works in experimental and multimedia modes.

Born in Vienna, Nitsch received training in painting during the time he studied at the Wiener Graphische Lehr-und Versuchanstalt. He is called an "actionist" or a performance artist. He is associated with the Vienna Actionists, and like them conceived his art outside traditional categories of genre. Nitsch's abstract splatter paintings, like his performance pieces, established a theme of controlled violence, using bright reds, maroons, and pale greys that communicate organic mutilation. In the 1950s, Nitsch conceived of the Orgien Mysterien Theater (which roughly translates as "Theatre of Orgies and Mysteries"), staging nearly 100 performances between 1962 a Hermann Nitsch is an Austrian artist who works in experimental and multimedia modes.

Born in Vienna, Nitsch received training in painting during the time he studied at the Wiener Graphische Lehr-und Versuchanstalt. He is called an "actionist" or a performance artist. He is associated with the Vienna Actionists, and like them conceived his art outside traditional categories of genre. Nitsch's abstract splatter paintings, like his performance pieces, established a theme of controlled violence, using bright reds, maroons, and pale greys that communicate organic mutilation. In the 1950s, Nitsch conceived of the Orgien Mysterien Theater (which roughly translates as "Theatre of Orgies and Mysteries"), staging nearly 100 performances between 1962 and 1998.

Nitsch's work, which can be considered both ritualistic and existential, first drew attention in the early 1960s when he exhibited a skinned and mutilated lamb. The lamb was crucified against a white fabric-covered wall, with the entrails removed and displayed below a white table, splashed with blood and hot water. This was accompanied by Nitsch's "Geräuschmusik". Nitsch's subsequent work has incorporated many similar elements, often combining slaughtered animals, red fruits, music, dancing, and active participants. Nitsch juxtaposed slaughtered animal intestines with quasi-religious icons such as staged crucifixions, satirizing and questioning the moral ethics of atavistic religion and sacrifice. Currently his work is often discussed in the context of our cultures fixation with violence seen on the news, movie screens, and in popular video games. Correlations have also been drawn to many instances of the intersection of violence and culture.3 These performance works, which have become known as "actions" have become more and more elaborate over the years. This highly elaborate work is exemplified by the 6-Day Play, which Nitsch considered to be his pinnacle piece.

In 1998, Nitsch staged his 100th performance (named the 6-Day Play after its length) which took place at his castle in Austria, Schloss Prinzendorf. In 2004, he held an abbreviated (2-day) version of the work.

By 1995 Nitsch had been so sufficiently embraced by the establishment, that the Vienna State Opera invited him to direct and design the sets and costumes for Jules Massenet's opera Hérodiade.

Nitsch continues to publish articles and release CDs.

In 2009 Nitsch was the central guest of the Incubate festival in Tilburg, The Netherlands. ...more

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Average rating: 4.35 · 75 ratings · 4 reviews · 36 distinct works

	Hermann Nitsch: The Theater of Orgies and Mysteries by Hermann Nitsch (Illustrations), Michael Karrer (Contributor), Rudi Fuchs (Foreword) 4.86 avg rating — 7 ratings — 3 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The fall of Jerusalem 3.83 avg rating — 6 ratings	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Action Art of Hermann Nitsch really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 2 ratings	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Hermann Nitsch: The Orgies Mysteries Theater really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 1 rating	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Hermann Nitsch Atlas liked it 3.00 avg rating — 1 rating	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Hermann Nitsch: 6-Tage-Spiel in Prinzendorf 1998 : Relikte und Reliktinstallationen, Aktionsmalerei, Fotos und Video : Museum moderner Kunst Stiftung Ludwig Wien, Palais Liechtenstein, 27. März-16. Mai 1999. 0.00 avg rating — 0 ratings — published 1999	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Hermann Nitsch: Works on Paper 1956-1988 by Hermann Nitsch, John T. Paoletti 0.00 avg rating — 0 ratings — published 1988	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Hermann Nitsch and the Theater: ExistenzFest 0.00 avg rating — 0 ratings	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Hermann Nitsch Das Orgien Mysterien Theater 0.00 avg rating — 0 ratings	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Hermann Nitsch Aktionsmalerei 1961-1963 by Hermann Nitsch, Galerie Heike Curtze 0.00 avg rating — 0 ratings	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

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Quotes by Hermann Nitsch (?)

“Even though my works are overloaded with symbols, they actually have nothing to do with symbols. Even blood is what it is: it is blood and not a symbol at all, and in its reality it is almost above the symbol.”
― Hermann Nitsch

tags: instinctive-intellect, optimism, reality-check, senses

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Hermann Nitsch’s Followers (8)

Hermann Nitsch

Combine EditionsHermann Nitsch’s books

Combine Editions
Hermann Nitsch’s books