In 1969, Eva Madelung (patron), Peter Nemetschek (artist/photographer), and Alfred Gulden (writer/filmmaker) established the avant-garde collective known as Aktionsraum 1 in Munich. Their aim was to create a space for young artists that would deviate from traditional artistic practices in order to provide a platform for new performative, institutional, and societal critiques in the art world.
For one year, a vacant factory hall served as the location for over 50 projects featuring action, conceptual art, and Arte Povera. Artists such as Klaus Rinke, HA Schult, Jochen Gerz, Christian Attersee, Günter Brus, Peter Nemetschek, Hermann Nitsch, Giuseppe Penone, Braco Dimitrijevic, Ben Vautier, Günter Sarée, Luciano Fabro, Stanley Brouwn, and the OHO group experimented with alternative and innovative forms of art in this precursor to today’s off-spaces. The international roster of artists reflects the significance and avant-garde nature of this enterprise. Some of the most legendary actions included Günter Brus’s shredding performance and Hermann Nitsch’s 7th Abreaction Game.
The Aktionsraum also served as a testing ground for involving the audience and incorporating the mediation of art through lectures and discussions. Project failures were just as much a part of the potential new experiences as the ignorance or animosity from parts of the public and authorities. Various documents remain from the predominantly process-oriented and actionist works, including reflections of audience and media responses. The MUMOK exhibited films, posters, sketches, letters, and photographs that traced this boundary-pushing chapter of recent art history with its complex themes and organization.
www.ftn-books.com has the book on Aktionsraum now available.
