Das Orgien Mysterien Theater: Hermann Nitsch

Hermann Nitsch’s oeuvre unfolds like a dramatic tapestry, woven with visceral intensity and subversive leitmotifs. Das Orgien Mysterien Theater epitomizes the revolutionary methodologies of the late Viennese artist with paintings from his later period that serve as a testament to a relentless and climactic journey persisting until the end of his life in 2022.

Throughout his body of work, the notion of life and death was a mainstay and has its roots in the Orgien Mysterien Theater(Theatre of Orgies and Mysteries). The performance-based concept developed in the 1960s stems from the artist’s interest in Dionysian, cult-like traditions, and his contemplation of the role of the Catholic church. A symphony of avant-garde expression, his paintings are the result of these provocative, ritualistic presentations that converged art, music, dance, and theatre in a Wagnerian exploration of the human psyche. Breaking free from artistic convention, these abstract works are characterized by their use of unlikely materials, lively splatters and impetuous, gestural brushstrokes created by bodily movements.

A key figure of Viennese Actionism, Hermann Nitsch was born in Vienna in 1938. With major retrospectives at institutions like Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía in Madrid and Nationalgalerie in Berlin, and participation at the renowned Venice Biennale and Documenta under his belt, he has undoubtedly left an indelible mark on the contemporary art world. His works can be seen at MoMA, New York, Tate Modern, London, and the Albertina Museum, Vienna, among many others.