The Viennese Actionism Movement
The Viennese Actionism Movement
This movement was a violent, radical and explicit form of
performance art that evolved in the Austrian capital, Vienna, during the 1960s.
The group consisted of mainly four members who worked
together to stage, film and photograph graphic performances. The group called
these ‘Aktions’. Their work was often illegal and sometimes portrayed
statements that expressed violence and rebellion over the government and
society of post World War 2 Austria which they were dissatisfied with.
These actionists believed that the horrific events committed
by the Nazis were being concealed and compressed in their country. They felt
that they were trying to force people to fac
Actionists
were appalled by what they saw as the limits and conventionality of abstract
painting therefore they didn’t use paint to create their work. Instead they
used blood, urine, milk and entrails. Also, rather than using canvases they
used naked bodies for their performances. They used their performances to
portray their own individual traumatic experiences of World War 2. This is
because the effects of life under the Nazis had a huge psychological impact on
members of the group. They believed Austrians (but especially Viennese) were
trying to cover up the roles they had played in all the crimes committed.