franz West

1947 - 2012

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, as in his "Adaptives," started in the 1970s, small sculptures meant to be picked up and carried around, and chairs, lamps, and tables that can be moved and used. He is also known for distinctive collages that mix over-painted magazine clippings, ads, and pornographic images to absurdist effect.