Hermann J. Hendrich

Hermann J. Hendrich (1934, Vienna – 2020, Vienna) was an important figure in Austria’s experimental art and literature scene. A trained mechanical engineer, he turned his attention to experimental forms of literature, theater, film, sound art, photography, and multimedia works in 1959. He published numerous literary works, including »die reise nach de panne« (1978). 

In 1959, he was rehearsal director and stage manager for the second »literary cabaret« of the Vienna Group. In 1961, he participated in the theater experiment »konkretes theater« (concrete theater), and in 1969, he organized the exhibition »Multi Media I« at the Galerie Junge Generation in Vienna. There also appeared under the name Wolf Hermann.

He was also a publisher, film producer, as well as co-founder and active member of numerous artists’ associations, including Studio – Verein für modern Jazz, Vienna, Werkstatt – Verein zur Förderung moderner Kunst, Werkstatt Breitenbrunn, the Arbeitsgemeinschaft Österreichischer Literaturproduzenten, the Gruppe Alternative Medien, the Grazer Autoren/Autorinnen Versammlung, the Studiengemeinschaft für experimentelle Modellforschung, the Austria Filmmakers Cooperative, the Kunstverein BLUE DANUBE, the WUK (Werkstätten- und Kulturhaus), and the Interdisziplinäre Arbeitsgruppe Mayaforschung.

The Hermann J. Hendrich Archive, which has been housed at the ZKM since 2015, contains videos, films, digitized radio plays, tape montages and soundscapes, as well as documentation of actions and performances – for example, by Valie Export. In addition, there is a series of documents, for example on collaborations with Marc Adrian, Johannes Konecny, Sandra Kovacs, Josef Pechhacker, Hans-Peter Rauscher, Horst Lothar Renner, Hans-Joachim Roedelius, Estella Schmid, Emily Walton, Peter Weibel, and Romano Zöls.