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born in Ardning / Styria
Günter Brus
Image Credits
1938
1954-1958
School of Applied Arts Graz
1958-1960
Academy of Applied Arts, Vienna - Leaving without a degree
1958-1964
Informal drawings and paintings, acquaintance with Alfons Schilling, Otto Mühl, Adolf Frohner, Hermann Nitsch, Rudolf Schwarzkogler, Kurt Kren. In 1961 Brus met his future wife Anna.
1964
First performance "Ana", Vienna, first use of the body as an artistic medium; transition from Informel to "Selbstbemalung".
1965
Further performances, including "Selbstverstümmelung", Wien, and "Wiener Spaziergang"
1966
Participation in the "Destruction in Art Symposium", London, at the invitation of Gustav Metzger; radicalisation of Aktionskunst, first production of action scores
1967
"Aktion mit Diana", Vienna
1968
Performance "Der helle Wahnsinn", Aachen; performance "Kunst und Revolution" with Otto Mühl, Oswald Wiener, Peter Weibel, Franz Kaltenbäck in the Vienna University, sentenced to 6 months imprisonment.
1969
Escape to Berlin
1970
Last performance: "Zerreissprobe", Munich
1970-1975
Return to drawing, publication of the ""Organs der österreichischen Exilregierung", the "Schastrommel" or later "Drossel" (until 1977; together with Otmar Bauer, Oswald Wiener, Hermann Nitsch, Gerhard Rühm); interplay of text and image, creation of, among others. Irrwisch", "Der Balkon Europas", "Die Zernunft", "Das Namenlos", among others; joint musical performance "Selten gehörte Musik" with Oswald Wiener, Gerhard Rühm, Dieter Roth, Hermann Nitsch at the Lenbachhaus in Munich.
1976
Commutation of prison sentence into a fine after audience of Anna Brus with Austrian President Kirchschläger
Since 1976
Publication of lyrical works in the publishing house "Das Hohe Gebrechen" by Arnulf Meifert; creation of numerous picture-text cycles, which are henceforth referred to by Günter Brus as "Bild-Dichtungen" as a genre of their own, among others. "William Blake - Poetische Skizzen", "Franz Schreker - Die Gezeichneten"; touring exhibition "Günter Brus - Bild-Dichtungen" in Hamburger Kunsthalle, Kunstmuseum Luzern and Kulturhaus der Stadt Graz as part of "steirischer herbst"; novel "Die Geheimnräger" appears; design of stage sets and costumes, e.g. for "Erinnerungen an die Menschheit" by Gerhard Roth (steirischer herbst 1985).
2008
Launch of the "BRUSEUM", a museum for Günter Brus at the Landesmuseum Joanneum.
2009
Purchase of the Literary Estate by the Province of Styria.
2023
Award of the Ring of Honour of the City of Graz
10.02.2024
Günter Brus died at the age of 85
