Günter Brus

Günter Brus was an Austrian painter, performance artist, graphic artist, experimental filmmaker, and writer. He played a pivotal role in co-founding Viennese Actionism alongside Otto Muehl, Hermann Nitsch, and Rudolf Schwarzkogler. Additionally, he contributed significantly to the NO!Art movement.

Biography of Günter Brus

Günter Brus, born in 1938 in Ardning, Styria, Austria, spent his formative years in Mureck. He embarked on his artistic journey by attending the Kunstgewerbeschule Graz before relocating to Vienna in 1956 to pursue painting. However, by the fall of 1960, Brus expanded his artistic horizons beyond traditional visual mediums.

In May 1961, he was conscripted into the military, but this did not deter his creative pursuits. In 1964, Brus debuted his groundbreaking "Aktion" titled Ana, where he meticulously painted his wife, Anni Brus, his own body, and the studio surroundings with bold strokes of white and black paint. Throughout the latter part of the 1960s, he continued to push artistic boundaries, staging numerous performances where his body became the focal point of expression.

Following a particularly controversial performance in 1968, Brus faced a six-month prison sentence. In response to the event and ensuing public outcry, he sought refuge in Berlin with his family, returning to Austria in 1976. Notably, in 1966, he participated in the Destruction in Art Symposium (DIAS) in London alongside notable artists such as Gustav Metzger, Otto Muehl, and Yoko Ono.

Brus's artistic prowess gained international recognition, leading to his participation in Documenta 5 in Kassel in 1972 and subsequent representation in Documenta 6 (1977) and Documenta 7 in 1982. In 1996, he was honored with the prestigious Grand Austrian State Prize for his contributions to the arts. Additionally, Brus has been an esteemed columnist and illustrator for the Austrian monthly magazine Datum since the summer of 2005.

Günter Brus passed away on February 10, 2024.. 

Günter Brus's Art Style

Günter Brus's art is renowned for its provocative nature, often unsettling and challenging societal norms. Through his actionist works, he sought to disrupt and unsettle not only individuals but entire societies.

One of his most notorious performances occurred at the Kunst und Revolution event at the University of Vienna in 1968. During this event, Brus shocked audiences by urinating into a glass, covering his body in his excrement, and singing the Austrian National Anthem while masturbating. The performance culminated in Brus drinking his urine and inducing vomiting, leading to his subsequent arrest.

Despite the controversy surrounding his work, Brus's art has found its place in esteemed collections worldwide. Pieces can be found in the National Galleries of Scotland in Edinburgh, The Museum of Modern Art in New York, and the Essl Collection of Contemporary Art in Austria, among others.