Arnulf Rainer is considered one of the most important artists of our time. A central source of inspiration for his work was Art Brut – a term coined by Jean Dubuffet in 1945 to describe art created outside established norms. The discovery of the Gugging Artists in particular profoundly shaped Rainer’s approach to this form of expression.

Through Leo Navratil’s publication Schizophrenia and Art (1965), Rainer first came into contact with the artists from Gugging. This encounter developed into an intense artistic dialogue that accompanied Rainer’s work well into the 1990s. In addition to his well-known Art Brut Homages, direct collaborations also emerged with Gugging Artists such as Johann Hauser and Fritz Koller.

The exhibition brings together works by Arnulf Rainer alongside pieces by Johann Garber, Johann Hauser, Margarethe Held, Rudolf Horacek, Fritz Koller, Rudolf Liemberger, Philipp Schöpke, Oswald Tschirtner, August Walla, and other significant representatives of Art Brut. Also on display are collaborative works by Rainer with Koller and Hauser.

In addition to the Zambo Collection and private loans, an extensive selection from the Navratil Collection will be presented for the first time. This collection was bequeathed by Leo Navratil to the State Collections of Lower Austria as part of his estate.

Exhibition: Arnulf Rainer & Art Brut
Duration: October 18, 2025 – October 4, 2026
Venue: Arnulf Rainer Museum, Josefsplatz 5, 2500 Baden bei Wien