Subversive Esotericism and Aesthetic Radicalism: The Myths and Rituals of Viennese Actionism

In this book, Sólveig Guðmundsdóttir uncovers the crucial role of esotericism in the art of the Vienna Actionists—a group of Austrian neo-avant-garde artists, infamous for their transgressive performance art. Addressing this frequently overlooked aspect of Actionism, Guðmundsdóttir traces, historicizes, and examines the esoteric discourses in selected works: the collective manifesto Die Blutorgel (1962), Rudolf Schwarzkogler’s text Das Ästhetische Panorama (1967/68) and the performances Abreaktionsspiel (1970) by Hermann Nitsch, and Zerreißprobe (1970) by Günter Brus. Mapping out the various discursive entanglements as they appear in the works, i.e. between esotericism and psychoanalysis, fascism, gender, sexuality, aesthetics, science, orientalism and religious discourses, the author illustrates and establishes the importance of esoteric traditions for the Actionists’ art and subversive practices. The historical analysis of the artworks reflects on the cultural nexus of post-war Austria, as well as the relations between radical politics, countercultures and esotericism, and how they appear in Actionism. Guðmundsdóttir argues that to survey the historical placement of esotericism is vital for understanding not only the context of their works, but also the contradictory image of the Actionists as both anti-authoritarian and reactionary artists.