Remembering Hermann Nitsch

Pace Gallery, with the Nitsch Foundation, shares the sad news of Hermann Nitsch’s passing at age 83 on April 18, 2022, following a serious illness. As a result of his passing, the artist could not personally experience one of his great successes—the exhibition of his 20th Painting Action during the 59th Venice Biennale.

Nitsch was guided throughout his life by the intense, life-affirming philosophy that "everything that ever was and ever will be is to be." It will keep his work eternally alive.

The first part of Nitsch’s storied 6-Day-Play will be performed this summer on July 30 and 31 in Prinzendorf, Austria. Due to the pandemic, the action had to be postponed for two years. It was the artist’s wish that his total work of art, The Orgies Mysteries Theatre, a large-scale performance that engages all five senses, would continue to be presented after his passing.

The artist once said, "The 6-Day-Play of the O.M. Theatre aims to be the greatest and most important celebration of peoples—it is an aesthetic ritual glorifying existence.”

We deeply mourn the death of Hermann Nitsch not only for his contributions to the world as an actionist, painter, graphic artist, and composer, but also as a husband, father, friend, mentor, and companion.