The exhibition Expressionist Tendencies in Austrian Painting gave the audience insight into internationally recognised Austrian painting. The selection of artists included several generations, providing continuity of the development of Austrian painting in recent decades. The conception focused on artistic tendencies in painting and drawing ranging from Abstract Expressionism and Art Informel to expressive figuration. Austrian post-war avant-garde was associated with the Gallery St Stephan and the artists Arnulf Rainer, Josef Mikl, Wolfgang Hollegha, Markus Prachensky and Maria Lassnig, the key figures of contemporary Austrian painting. The achievements of internationally renowned Austrian art include activities known as Viennese Action art. At its inception were such artists as Adolf Frohner, Otto Muehl and Hermann Nitsch. It was expressed in action based on happening and Fluxus. In the 1960s, Viennese Action art developed into an independent internationally recognised artistic movement. New expressive painting of the 1980s was represented by the work of Jürgen Messensee, Herwig Zens, Siegfried Anzinger and Alois Mosbacher. The youngest generation, not laden with historical context, expressed traditional subject matter in new modern means and media. The penetration of photography, film and digital media enrich contemporary means of expression (Eva Wagner, Markus Reiter).
