ZUG, SWITZERLAND – Helvetika 1575 has announced an exclusive sale offering of Hermann Nitsch’s 20th Painting Action, a seminal work from the artist’s Orgies Mysteries Theatre and a landmark of Viennese Actionism. The work, originating from the Helmut Essl Private Collection, was most recently presented in Venice in 2022 in conjunction with the 59th Venice Biennale.
Executed in 1987 at the Wiener Secession in Vienna, the 20th Painting Action marks a decisive moment in Nitsch’s expansion of painting into a ritualized, performative action. Its monumental scale, material intensity, and performative origin make it a unique and significant piece in Nitsch’s oeuvre. The work was presented at Officine 800 on Giudecca Island, marking the first time it had been recontextualized within an international biennial framework.
Katerina Maliakina, Director and Co-Founder of Helvetika 1575, describes the 20th Painting Action as not only a defining work in Nitsch’s career, but also a cornerstone of postwar European art. “Presenting this work as an exclusive sale offering alongside an exhibition reflects our commitment to historically significant practices that continue to challenge how art is experienced, embodied, and understood,” she said.
Through its exclusive representation, Helvetika 1575 offers collectors and institutions a rare opportunity to acquire a historically pivotal work that bridges painting, action, and durational performance. The 20th Painting Action exemplifies Nitsch’s ambition to dissolve boundaries between aesthetic experience, corporeality, and metaphysical inquiry.
In conjunction with the sale offering, Helvetika 1575 will open the exhibition Hermann Nitsch: The Art of Extremes on January 20, 2026. Developed in collaboration with Helmut Essl, the exhibition provides a focused introduction to Nitsch’s practice, situating the 20th Painting Action within the broader conceptual, ritualistic, and material framework of his work. This marks the beginning of a sustained engagement with Nitsch’s legacy at the gallery.
Helmut Essl, a leading supporter of Hermann Nitsch and an influential advocate of Viennese Actionism, has built a focused collection of Austrian Actionism and international contemporary art defined by historical relevance and institutional quality. He comments, “Hermann Nitsch’s work demands commitment – intellectual, emotional, and ethical. The 20th Painting Action embodies the totality of his artistic vision, where painting, action, and existential inquiry become inseparable. Collaborating with Helvetika 1575 ensures the work is presented with the seriousness and context it requires.”
Hermann Nitsch (1938-2022) was a central figure of Viennese Actionism, whose work radically challenged conventions of painting and performance through ritual, excess, and sensory immersion. His influence continues to shape contemporary discourse around the body, temporality, and the limits of representation.
Located at Unter Altstadt 20 in Zug, Switzerland, Helvetika 1575 presents historically significant and contemporary works by international artists, serving as a platform for ambitious exhibitions and exclusive offerings that engage critically with art history and its ongoing evolution.
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Helvetika 1575 AG
Unter Altstadt 20, 6300 Zug, Switzerland
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