Hermann Nitsch - Die Architektur des Orgien Mysterien Theater

Since 1960, Hermann Nitsch (born in 1938 in Vienna) has been interrogating themyths of European culture, especially those related to the Christian religion, a foundation of the Western world. His performances display a strong liturgical character, in which painting, music and theatre are intimately blended, and symbolically re-play themystery of origins. His aspiration for synthesis of the arts takes on its full dimensions with the definition of what Nitsch calls the Theatre of Orgies and Mysteries. Drawings occupy a special place in Nitsch’s work. Those he names architectural drawings appear as a type of abstract map. Their lines seem to sketch out a map – a city or an imaginary territory.

Die Architektur des Orgien Mysterien Theater comprises 4 prints of imposing size. In the first one, a regular pattern is partly covered with several layers. The second and third prints reproduce the first grid while adding an exuberant layout of new sketches.

The fourth print of the series wraps up the ensemble. Here, the artist applies paint directly, each panel being different from the next.