Otto Muehl

Description

Otto Muehl is known primarily for the films and photographs of his actions and works from the 1960s, in which he attacked abstract painting and the surface of the picture. Over a period of ten years, from around 1961 to the early 1970s, we can observe in his work a struggle to find new visual forms that make a socially and politically relevant statement. In this neo-avant-garde phase of Vienna Actionism, an attempt was made to rehabilitate human depiction by emphasizing the social-active quality of the body. This radical view of the body and its possibilities of expression and experience takes an a new significance and power in the performances of Muehl and the other Actionist, never bat ore formulated in art in this way.

But around 1970, this iconoclastic approach begins to change before the backdrop of a fundamental reorientation. lt becomes increasingly clear that the Muehl's slogan of the "destroyed picture" from the early 1960s was directed less against the picture as such as against an entire art system. At issue was not much a fundamental questioning of the possibilities of the pictorial, but rather the possibility of analyzing the role and expanding the position of the art work as an activist toot, redefining lt and exploring its social functions. This becomes all the more clear in light of the fact that Muehl, parallel to the actions and action films, continued to produce art work throughout the 1960s: the collages of the years 1965-66, the painted "media quotes" from the series Persönlichkeiten made between 1967 and 1978, and the series 12 Aktionen from 1970-72, in which he ultimately came once again to enjoy painting, as can be read in a letter to Oswald Wiener, now part of the Aktionismus Archiv in Vienna's MUMOK.

Looking over the large number of paintings and drawings, it becomes clear that Muehl revises his position on painting in this series. He consequently broke entirely from the concept of an avant-garde high art, assigning his painting and drawing a quite particular dose-to-life role within the closed society of the Aktionsanalytische Kommune founded by him during this period. In another context he referred to this transformation euphemistically as a process that "had to do with ( ...... ) gaining the greatest possible enjoyment and a positive attitude towards giving shape to my life"

The role of the body, its potential for liberation and sexual emancipation stand at the center of the artist's visual world as it now develops. In a certain sense, Muehl becomes the portraitist of the self-presentation sessions carried out regularly in the group, where a high value is placed on individual freedom of expression. The significance of dance at the center of these experiments in group dynamics thus becomes a leitmotif in his artistic work from the Time of Kommune Friedrichshof.

Hubert Klocker

Biography

Otto Muehl

1925 born in Grodnau, Austria

lives and works in Faro, Portugal

Solo exhibitions (2000-2010, selection)

2011

wiener aktionismus. gegenpol zur gesellschaft,werke aus der sammlung essl in österreich
MOCAK, museum of contemporary art in krakau (Polen)

austria davaj!der gipfel des kreativen österreich malerei, schusev state museum of architecture moscow, moskau (Russland)

the royal family, malerei, hayward gallery, London (GB)

2010

Otto Muehl, Leopold Museum, Vienna (A)

Apocalypse/keinen Keks heute, Museum für angewandte  Kunst (MAK), Vienna (A)

2008

Tempel Destroyer, Maccarone Gallery, New York City/New York (USA)

2007

Destruktion in der Kunst ist Freiheit, Konzett, Vienna (A)

2006

Otto Muehl – MC Kunst, Los Angeles/California (USA)

2005

Otto Muehl, Les Reguins, Gallery Sollertis, Toulouse (F)

Jenseits von Zucht und Ordnung, Sammlung Falkenberg Kulturstiftung Phoenix Art, Hamburg (DE)

2004

Leben Kunst Werk-Aktion, Utopie, Malerei 1960-2004 Retrospektive Museum für Angewandte Kunst (MAK), Vienna (A)

2003

Landschaften, eine Retrospektive, Galerie 14-16, St Germain des Pres, Paris (F)

Shark, Collectionen a5 Volpinum, Vienna (A)

Electric paintings, T1/2 Gallery, London (UK)

Ourvre de prison, Galerie 51 Seine, Paris (F)

2002

Actionisme-grimuide 1992-2002, Galerie Rabouan-Moussion, Paris (F)

Group exhibitions (2000-2010, selection)

2010

Konstellationen- Sammeln für ein neues Jahrhundert, Museum Moderner Kunst Stiftung Ludwig (MUMOK), Vienna (A)

Abstract Resistance, Walker Art Center, Minneapolis (USA)

Long time no see, the Brno house of art, Central building, Brno (CZ)

2009

Mapping the studio: Artists from the Francois Pinault Collection, Punta della Dogana-Grassi, Venice (I)

MESSIAHS, Modem Centre for modern and contemporary arts, Debrecen (H)

VIENNESE ACTIONISM.FROM PAINTING TO ACTION, works from the MUMOK collection, Sofia (BG)

In the making, Werke aus den Sammlungen, Hamburger Bahnhof - Museum für Gegenwart, Berlin (D)

Performer, Zacheta, National Gallery of Art, Warsaw (PL)

Nitsch, Vorbilder Zeitgenossen Lehre, Künstlerhaus Wien, Vienna (A)

Offenes Depot: Wiener Aktionismus, Staatsgalerie Stuttgart, Stuttgart (D)

2008

Accionismo Vienils, Brus-Muehl-Nitsch-Schwarzkogler, obras de la Collecciön Hummel, Centro Andaluz de Arte Contemporaneo, Sevilla (ES)

Now Jump, Nam June Paik Art Center, Yongin-si (ROK)

Pretty Ugly, Gavin Brown’s Enterprice, New York City/New York (USA)

Peripheral vision and collective body, MUSEION, Museum für moderne und zeitgenössische  Kunst, Bolzano (I)

Ad Absurdum, MARTa Herford, Herford (D)

2007

Salon de la Kakanie, Central House of Artists, Moscow (RUS)

Passion for Art, 35 Jahre Essl Museum, Essl Museum, Klosterneuburg (A)

Beneath the Underdog, Gagosian Gallery, Madison Avenue, New York City/New York (USA)

There is never a stop and never a finish, Hamburger Bahnhof - Museum für Gegenwart, Berlin (D)

In Defense of Ardor, Bellwether Gallery, New York City/New York (USA)

Franz West-Souffle, eine Massenausstellung, Kunstraum Innsbruck, Innsbruck (A)

BODYPOLITCX, Witte de With Center for Contemporary Art, Rotterdam (NL)

Rückblende, Die Fotosammlung der neuen Galerie Graz, Neue Galerie, Universalmuseum Joanneum, Graz (A)

Eye on European Prints, Books etc.-1960 to now, Museum of Modern Art (MOMA), New York City/New York (USA)

Into me / out of me, Marco Future, Rome (I)

Focus 03, Konzept .Aktion, Sprache, Wiener Gruppe, Wiener Aktiomismus, Fluxus und Konzeptkunst aus der Sammlung MUMOK, Museum Moderner Kunst Ludwig Stiftung Wien, Vienna (A)

2006

Eye on Europian Prints, Books etc.-1960 to now, Museum of Modern Art (MOMA), New York City/New York (USA)

4.Berlin Biennale für Zeitgenössische Kunst- berlin biennale für zeitgenössische kunst e.v.,Berlin (D)

SNAFU-Medien, Mythen, Mind Control, Hamburger Kunsthalle, Hamburg (D)

Wiener Aktionismus, Die Sammlung Hummel, Museum Moderner Kunst Stiftung Ludwig, MUMOK, Vienna (A)

Reflexionen, Beispiele zum Bildersehen aus Sammlungsbesitz, Museum der Moderne Salzburg, Salzburg (A)

Körper, Gesicht und Seele, vom 16.bis zum 21.Jahrhundert, Leopold Museum, Vienna (A)

Franz West sin Franz West + Der Ficker, Centro Atlantico de Arte Moderno (CAAM), Las Palmas de Gran Canaria (ES)

Konzept. Aktion. Sprache, Museum Moderner Kunst Stiftung Ludwig, MUMOK, Vienna (A)

Body Face and Soul, the female Image from the 16th-to the 21st Century, Leopold Museum, Vienna (A)

Landscape in your mind-paintings, Austrian Cultural Forum, New York City/New York (USA)

Mapping the Studio, Stedelijk Museum of Modern Art, Amsterdam (NL)

Simultan- zwei Sammlungen Österreichischer Fotographie, Fotomuseum Winterthur, Winterthur (CH)

Simultan- zwei Sammlungen Österreichischer Fotographie, Museum der Moderne, Salzburg (A)

Into me / out of me, KW for Contemporary Art, Berlin (D) und P.S.1 Contemporary Art Center, New York City/New York (USA)

2005

Traces, Body and Idea in Contemporary Art, The National Museum of Modern Art, Kyoto (J)

Leben/Kunst/ Werk Aktion Utopie Malerei 1960-2004, MAK Vienna (A)

III Bienal de Valencia-Agua sin ti no soy - Bienal de Valencia, Valencia (ES)

Les Grands Spectacles - 120 Jahre Kunst und Massenkultur – Museum der Moderne, Salzburg (A)

Ars Pingendi – Neue Galerie, Universalmuseum Joanneum, Graz (A)

Neuerwerbungen der Sammlung 2005, Neue Galerie, Universalmuseum Joanneum, Graz (A)

2004

Village global: les annees 60, Musee des beaux – arts de Montreal (CDN)

La creazone Ansiosa  da Picasso e Bacon, Galleria di Arte Moderna e Contemporaneo Palazzo Forti, Verona (I)

Attraversare Genova. Percorsi e linguaggi internazionali del contemporaneo. Villa Croce Museo d’ Arte Contemporaneo, Genova (I)

Support – Die Neue Galerie als Sammlung 1950-Heute, Neue Galerie, Universalmuseum Joanneum, Graz (A)

Neuerwerbung für die Sammlung 2004, Neue Galerie, Universalmuseum Joanneum, Graz (A)

Körpergrenzen, aus der Sammlung Gerda und Erich Walter, Landesgalerie am Oberösterreichischen Landesmuseum, Linz (A)

Central Station, Collection Harald Falckenberg, La Maison Rouge, Paris (F)

2003

C‘ est arrive demain, Biennale Lyon (F), Stiftung Maria und Gerald Fischer, Lentos, Linz (A)

Permanent 04, Essl Museum, Klosterneuburg (A)

2002

Photographie des Wiener Aktionismus, Villa Manin di Pordenone, Udine (I)

Figur – Gegenfigur, Rupertinum, Salzburg (A)

Serious Play / Metaphorical Gestures, Österreichisches Kulturinstitut, New York City/New York (USA)

Fokus 1, Rebellion & Aufbruch Kunst der sechziger Jahre, Wiener Aktionismus, Fluxus, Nouveau Realisme, Pop Art, MUMOK, Vienna (A)

La part de l’autre, Carre d‘ art, Musee d’art contemporain de Nimes, Nimes (F)

Collectors Choice, Neue Galerie, Universalmuseum Joanneum, Graz (A)

2001

Le peinture comme crime. Ou la part maudite de la modernite, Musse du Louvre, Paris (F)

2000

Posseder et detruire, Strategies sexuelles dans l’art d’Occident, Musee du Louvre, Paris (F)

Art in central Europe 1949-1999, Fundacion Joan Miro, Barcelona (ES)

ET l’ art se met au monde, Institute d’ art contemporain Villeurbanne, Villeurbanne (F)

Aspect – Positions, 50 Years of Art in Central Europe 1949 – 99, Ludwig Museum, Wien (A) Museum of Contemporary Art, Budapest (H)