The term Viennese Actionism describes a short and violent movement in 20th century art that can be regarded as part of the many independent efforts of the sixties to develop "action art" (Fluxus, Happening, Performance, Body Art, etc.). Its main participants were Günter Brus, Otto Mühl, Hermann Nitsch, and Rudolf Schwarzkogler. As "actionists," they were active between 1960 and 1971. Most have continued their artistic work in an independent way from the early 1970s onwards. (19th century - 20th century - 21st century - more centuries) Decades: 1900s 1910s 1920s 1930s 1940s 1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s As a means of recording the passage of time, the 20th century was that century which lasted from 1901–2000 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar (1900–1999 in the... Resources ArtLex. ... Jump to: navigation, search The 1960s in its most obvious sense refers to the decade between 1960 and 1969, but the expression has taken on a wider meaning over the past twenty years. ... Action art, also called action painting, is a form of abstract expressionism. ... Fluxus (from to flow) is an art movement noted for the blending of different artistic disciplines, primarily visual art but also music and literature. ... A happening is a performance, event or situation meant to be considered as art. ... A street musician with accordion in Bremen A performance comprises an event in which generally one group of people (the performer or performers) behave in a particular way for the benefit of another group of people (the viewer or viewers, or audience). ... Body art is art made on, or consisting of, the human body. ... Jump to: navigation, search Brus, Günter, b. ... Otto Muehl (born June 16, 1925, at Grodnau, Burgenland) is one of the co-founders, and an important member, of Wiener Aktionismus or Viennese Actionism. ... Hermann Nitsch (b. ... Jump to: navigation, search The 1970s in its most obvious sense refers to the decade between 1970 and 1979. ...

Further Reading

• Von der Aktionsmalerei zum Aktionismus. Wien 1960-1965, Klagenfurt, Ritter-Verlag, 1988.
• Wiener Aktionismus. Wien 1960-1971, Klagenfurt, Ritter-Verlag, 1989.
• Der Wiener Aktionismus und die Österreicher, Klagenfurt, Ritter-Verlag, 1995
• Out of Actions. Actionism, Body Art & Performance 1949-1979 (Exhibition catalogue), Vienna-Stuttgart, MAK/Cantz, 1998.
• Brus Muehl Nitsch Schwarzkogler. Writings of the Viennese Actionists, London, Atlas Press, 1999.