Herman Nitsch

Herman Nitsch Synopsis

This catalogue was published within the context of the paint action of Hermann Nitsch organized by Dirimart at the Contemporary Istanbul Art Fair on November 7-10, 2013 and the Herman Nitsch exhibition held at Dirimart Nisantasi on February 13-March 8, 2014. The catalogue presents his works that came out of his paint action at the 2013 Contemporary Istanbul together with his paintings from 1999 to 2013, accompanied by two texts by the artist.

In his words: "The painter submits itself to a dramatic painting process. In my theater, this ecstasy of the painting process leaves the canvas surface, the real event takes its place instead… Blood and flesh is being used instead of color. My arguments of the painting are sorted in painting actions and numbered.

From 7 to 10 November 2013, I had the 66th painting performance in Istanbul. It was interesting for me to demonstrate my work in a country largely covered by Islamic culture. I was amazed that my work is understood and a different religion issue did not stand in its way… I believe that the confrontation of the Orient with the Vienna Art is very important.

At the time of Jugendstil, a similar attempt has been carried out there by Klimt. I think it's very good to expand such artistic relationships here." Hermann Nitsch, one of the founders of Viennese Actionism, continues his traditional modern artistic ritual with his ritual-like actions named Orgien Mysterien Theater. Nitsch blesses the body in the context of blood, nudity, and violence while adopting a critical manner against modernist body politics.

While conveying the violence dispersed in human essence to all senses, Nitsch leads major themes of contemporary art, such as animalism and gender, as well as performance arts and happenings. In his performances that resemble rituals of early ages, the artist exhibits visible, smellable, audible, and perceivable reality, free from the artificial effect of traditional drama and including all the elements both central and peripheric.

Aside from Orgien Mysterien Theater, Nitsch creates a new ground in the mind of the viewer where colors and images co-exist, with his paintings which are the result of his painting actions.