Valie Export & Peter Weibel

Art and Revolution

Artists
Valie Export & Peter Weibel
Title
Art and Revolution
Year
1968
Medium / Material / Technic
16 mm film, digitized, b/w, silent
Size / Duration
00:00:33

As part of the legendary action »Kunst und Revolution« [Art and Revolution] at Vienna University on June 7, 1968, Peter Weibel gave a literally incendiary speech with a burning hand, symbolizing the violence and real impact of language. During his speech entitled »Was tun?« [What to do?] that denounced the failures of the government at the time, despite the protective goggles and asbestos glove, individual drops of gasoline got under the prepared glove and the fire spread to his bare arm. Weibel had to end the speech with a short »OW!« and threw the burning glove into a waiting bucket of water.