Greenberg and Nitsch: the Intersection of Bodies and Art
Exploring the Continuum of Physicality in Artistic Expression
Displayed side by side on the first floor of the historic Palazzo Mora, in Venice, the artworks of Miles Greenberg and Hermann Nitsch encourage us to delve deeply into the themes of the body, physicality, and human emotions.

Photo credits Federico Vespignani
Though separated by generations, the two artists share an intense and visceral approach to their art. Greenberg, a New York-based performance artist, and Nitsch, a pioneer of Viennese Actionism, both utilise the physical body as a central element to convey profound emotional and psychological states. Greenberg’s practice, heavily influenced by Nitsch, revolves around the decay of form and the endurance of the body, creating a dialogue that bridges their distinct yet interconnected methodologies. Nitsch is profoundly intertwined, in a literal sense, with the body and guts. Greenberg's work typically centres around very intense and extreme sensations that have a very short lifespan inside of our system. Ecstasy, agony, a panic attack, an orgasm, and then seeing what happens if we augment those feelings and extend them over hours or multiple days.
Hermann Nitsch's "Schüttbild mit Hemd (Kreuzwegstation) SX 2/00A"
Hermann Nitsch, a seminal figure in the Viennese Actionism movement, is renowned for his ritualistic performances and visceral artworks. At Personal Structures 2024, his piece Schüttbild mit Hemd (Kreuzwegstation) SX 2/00A from 2000 stands out. This drip painting features the "Malhemd," a white shirt used in his actions, saturated with variations of red oil colours. The artwork evokes the impression of fresh and dried blood, demonstrating Nitsch’s mastery in conveying raw human emotions through the physicality of colour and material. The balance of red tones and the central integration of the shirt create a powerful visual impact, resonating with themes of sacrifice and transcendence.

Courtesy of Galerie Breyer
Miles Greenberg's "Fountain I"
Approaching the human body in a sculptural way, Miles Greenberg sculpts with flesh and movement, moulding moments that span over long stretches of time. In Personal Structures - Beyond Boundaries, two images extracted from his durational work Fountain I are on display at Palazzo Mora. In this seven-hour performance, the artist presents a powerful exploration of heartbreak and emotional catharsis. “When one finally turns one’s entire body inside out to reach a sort of ecstasy”, says Greenberg. The piece features a lone figure standing on a white plinth over a large pond of blood, symbolically haemorrhaging into the reservoir below. This live-documented performance not only captures the ephemeral nature of intense emotions but also pays homage to Hermann Nitsch’s practice. Greenberg’s meticulous documentation transforms the performance into enduring video works and sculptures, offering a continuous investigation into the themes of entropy and transformation in art.

Photo credits Federico Vespignani
As Greenberg stated in an interview for Pace Gallery on the occasion of the debut of Fountain II amid an exhibition of Nitsch's work: “As not only a person of my generation but also a black person of my generation and a queer person of my generation, I don’t believe in the recreation of violence, in adding net violence to the world through art. That desire to keep actual enacted pain to a minimum is something that’s actually quite new. Being in dialogue with this is an opportunity to highlight that evolution.”

Photo credits Federico Vespignani
The works of Miles Greenberg and Hermann Nitsch, showcased at the historical venue of Palazzo Mora, highlight a shared fascination with the physicality of the human body and its expressive potential. Greenberg's contemporary interpretation of durational performance and bodily engagement pays homage to Nitsch's pioneering work, creating a dialogue that spans generations. Their pieces challenge viewers to confront the raw, often uncomfortable realities of human experience, using art as a medium to explore and transcend these physical and emotional boundaries.