Artist Reimo Wukounig dies at 83

Austrian artist Reimo Wukounig died on Wednesday evening, aged 83, ORF reported. Born in St Kanzian am Klopeiner See in Carinthia, he had lived in Vienna for many years and represented Austria at the Venice Biennale in 1976.

Wukounig was abused by paediatrician Franz Wurst after being placed in a care home at the age of eight. He addressed his experiences at the Harbach educational institution, east of Klagenfurt, in a documentary titled “Pupil 33”. The trauma also had a profound influence on his art.

A painter, draughtsman and object artist, Wukounig explored physical and psychological injuries in his work. His creations included installations featuring ironing boards, numerous faces and bells, as well as a figure with a split head. He said he lived exclusively for art and drew every day, often making small sketches for himself.

In 2023, Wukounig received Carinthia’s Great Decoration of Honour for his life’s work. Culture official Gaby Schaunig said his artistic legacy was a powerful testimony against the silencing and denial of injustice.