b. Vienna, Austria 1947

d. Vienna, Austria 2012

Franz West was an Austrian artist best known for his unconventional objects and sculptures, installations and furniture work which often require an involvement of the audience. Franz West's work is influenced by the action and performance art of the 1960s, including Vienna's Actionism movement, in which artists engaged in destructive, violent acts of public behavior. Rejecting the traditional passive way of viewing art, West creates pieces as social experiences. He is also known for distinctive collages that mix over-painted magazine clippings, ads, and pornographic images to absurdist effect, and bulky sculptures of foam, papier-mâché, cardboard, and objects that reference Expressionist painting.

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