Hermann Nitsch (b. 1938, Vienna)

Combining performance and painting, Hermann Nitsch’s works include blood, animal viscera and nudity. The artist, who witnessed the Second World War as a child, created the “action performances” he later produced based on his memories of this period and using various religious themes and traditions. The effect of his works can also be considered as the expression of these memories.

In 2007 Nitsch opened the Hermann Nitsch Museum in Mistelbach, Austria. He currently lives and works in Vienna, Austria. His works are in the collections of MoMA in New York, the Tate Gallery in London, and the Essl Collection of Contemporary Art in Austria, among others.