Austrian artist Arnulf Rainer, pioneer of overpainting technique, dies at 96
Austrian artist Arnulf Rainer, renowned for his 'overpainting' method, has passed away. His artistic journey commenced in the 1950s, where he repurposed old artworks sourced from flea markets, leading to a philosophical inquiry into themes of destruction and renewal, heavily influenced by the Viennese Actionists. Rainer's oeuvre featured works on Old Masters, self-portraits, and depictions of 20th-century tragedies. He achieved global fame through his participation in documenta in 1972, 1977, and 1982, as well as the Venice Biennale in 1978. Notable exhibitions included a 1968 retrospective in Wien, shows in Bern and Munich in 1977, and solo displays at the Nationalgalerie (1980), Centre Pompidou (1984), and Guggenheim (1989). He served as a professor at the Academy of Fine Arts, Vienna, from 1981 to 1995. A significant exhibition is scheduled for 2024 at the Arnulf Rainer Museum.
Key facts
- Arnulf Rainer was an Austrian artist known for his 'overpainting' technique.
- He died in 2025 at the age of 96.
- His overpainting began in the 1950s as a cost-saving measure, using old paintings from flea markets.
- The technique evolved to explore themes of destruction and renewal, influenced by the Viennese Actionists.
- He overpainted copies of Old Masters, photographic self-portraits, and images of historical tragedies.
- Rainer participated in documenta in Kassel in 1972, 1977, and 1982, and the Venice Biennale in 1978.
- He was a professor at the Academy of Fine Arts in Vienna from 1981 to 1995.
- A major monographic exhibition was held at the Arnulf Rainer Museum in Baden in 2024 for his 95th birthday.
Entities
Artists
- Arnulf Rainer
Institutions
- Museum des 20. Jahrhunderts
- Kunsthalle Bern
- Lenbachhaus Munich
- documenta
- Venice Biennale
- Nationalgalerie, Berlin
- Centre Pompidou
- Abbazia di San Gregorio
- Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum
- Academy of Fine Arts in Vienna
- Academy of Arts, Berlin
- Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam
- Kunstmuseum Den Haag
- Alte Pinakothek, Munich
- ALBERTINA, Vienna
- Lentos Kunstmuseum Linz
- MARe – Muzeul de Artă Recentă, Bucharest
- Arnulf Rainer Museum
- artreview.com
Locations
- Vienna
- Austria
- Bern
- Switzerland
- Munich
- Germany
- Kassel
- Venice
- Italy
- Berlin
- Paris
- France
- New York
- United States
- Amsterdam
- Netherlands
- Den Haag
- Linz
- Bucharest
- Romania
- Baden