Presentation of the ORF documentary on the occasion of the 80th birthday of Hermann Nitsch

09.08.2018, 6pm

In the ORF documentary on the occasion of the 80th birthday of Hermann Nitsch, director Maria Seifert accompanies the artist through the various aspects of his creative universe. The focus is on Prinzendorf Castle, which Hermann Nitsch calls “his Bayreuth”, his own theatre in which he realises his performances and, not least, the Theatre of Orgies and Mysteries as his entire oeuvre. Discussions about his philosophical “concept of being”, his approach of integrating Christian and above all Catholic rituals and symbols in his work, repeating these, as he says, and in no way imitating them blasphemously, and about his understanding of art history, give a deep insight into the artist’s creative and thought processes.

The film team also accompanies Hermann Nitsch to his second home in Italy – to Asolo, where he still spends a lot of time today: here, at his secondary residence, he focuses in particular on designing graphic works and composing the music for his performances. “Italy has always been good to me,” says Nitsch, and by this he also means his supporters in Naples – the art collector Peppe Morra, who has been such a big Nitsch fan for decades that he had a museum built for the artist.

Interviews with Rita Nitsch, the artist’s wife, with adopted son Leonhard Kopp, with the photographer Heinz Cibulka, the artistic director of the nitsch museum in Mistelbach, Michael Karrer, and his biographer Danielle Spera complete the picture of the artistic life of Hermann Nitsch.

Produced by:
Clever Contents
Filmproduktion 
Directed by:
Maria Seifert
Responsible for editorial content:
Sharon Nuni
Siegfried Steinlechner
Film edited by:
Stefan Fauland
Camera work:
Oliver Indra
Gustl Gschwantner
Marco Zimprich
Air date:
27 August 2018,
11.15 pm ORF2
Length:
approx. 30 minutes

The artist will also be present as well as ORF TV’s head of culture Martin Traxl.
After the film screening, the nitsch museum will be inviting people for wine and bread.
Please register for the film screening at +43 2572 20719 / veranstaltungen@nitschmuseum.at