Brus, Günter#
b. Ardning (Styria), Sept. 27, 1938, painter, graphic artist and writer. Co-founder of Wiener Aktionismus (Viennese Actionism) together with O. Muehl, H. Nitsch and R. Schwarzkogler (1964), sentenced to 6 months in prison after the "Kunst und Revolution" event at the University of Vienna in 1968, fled to Berlin with his family and returned to Austria in 1976. His aggressively presented actionism intentionally disregarded conventions and taboos. Editor of the "Schastrommel" (author's edition) from 1969 on. In his "Bild-Dichtungen" he achieves a synthesis between poetry and painting. Awarded the Grand Austrian State Prize in 1997.
Works#
Zerreissprobe, 1970 (actionist happening); Irrwisch, 1971 (novel); Die Geheimnistraeger, 1984 (novel); Buehnenbild und Kostueme zu "Erinnerungen an die Menschheit" von G. Roth, Schauspielhaus Graz 1985; Nachtquartett, Folio of etchings, 1982; Weisser Wind, 1980s (72 parts, literary/bimedial principal work).Literature#
H. Amanshauser and D. Ronte, G. B., 1986; Der zertruemmerte Spiegel, Wiener Aktionismus, 1989; G. B. - Werke aus der Sammlung Essl, exhibition catalogue, Sammlung Essl Privatstiftung, Klosterneuburg 1998.