An extraordinary series of concerts and events amidst the works of Gugging artists – in the place that even pop icons such as David Bowie used as inspiration for their work. New things are created, but it is also a kind of renaissance. It is music, but not only and much more. Like galerie gugging itself, it is unconventional.

With the galerie gugging special edition, the artistic venue, which has developed into one of the world’s leading art brut galleries under the leadership of gallery director Nina Katschnig, has been increasingly opening up to new art forms and experimental art since 2017 – so far primarily from the field of music. Michael Martinek (Fabrique Agency, Fabrique Records), the gallery’s longstanding musical companion, has been the artistic director of the series of events since 2017 and is responsible for organising the content.

It is a docking to artistic experiments, especially as the internationally traded works of the Gugging Art Brut artists have also set important pop-cultural impulses: among others, David Bowie was a guest several times for research purposes for his album “1. Outside”, and Einstürzende Neubauten have also made reference to the unmistakable style of the patient O.T. with their second album “Zeichnungen des Patienten O.T.”. also made reference to the unmistakable style of Gugging artist Oswald Tschirtner.

In recent years, the galerie gugging special edition series has included numerous premieres and exclusive performances on the programme. The British avant-garde musician Christopher Chaplin, whose latest work received its world premiere in Gugging, the exceptional Ukrainian pianist and “Continuous Music” founder Lubomyr Melnyk, and the great actor Klaus Maria Brandauer, among others, left an enthusiastic audience in their wake. The latter shone with a reading of selected Bowie song lyrics and was impressively accompanied by the sound artists Jana Irmert and Runar Magnusson. A magical moment.

No less magical were the breathtaking performances by hackedepicciotto, Oehl, Mira Lu Kovacs (Schmieds Puls, 5K HD), Voodoo Jürgens and Lukas Lauermann.

The versatile acting favourites and musicians Manuel Rubey and Gerald Votava were also a big hit with the audience with a programme specially put together for the series, as were Christoph Grissemann, Maschek half Robert Stachel and Manuel Rubey with their interpretation of the theatre world success “Art” by Yasmina Reza. The guest performance by the British indie rock band Art Brut, led by charismatic frontman Eddie Argos, was also an unforgettable spectacle.

And we promise: it remains exciting!

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