Humanities and Arts
Concrete Violence – Wolf Vostell’s Disasters of War
Abstract
Wolf Vostell is best known for the intermedial interactive events he staged on the streets of West Germany throughout the 1960s and 1970s. Berlin/100 Ereignisse (Berlin/100 events, 1965) exemplifies his work from the period, whichhe preferred to call ‘events’, ‘happenings’, ‘actions’, and ‘demonstrations’, thus blurring the boundary between art and life while affiliating artistic practice with political activism.1 Berlin/100 Ereignisse involved driving around the Western sector of the city in a car and making one hundred stops: to bury a clock in the rubble of Go¨rlitzer train station, meet a naked woman wearing a gas mask, confront a sign prohibiting loitering with ‘der realita¨t einer straße’ (the reality of a street) by wielding posters with current headlines as lowercase slogans – ‘weinender U.S.-soldat im vietnamkrieg!’ (crying US soldier in the Vietnam War), ‘straßenkampf in rhodesien!’ (rioting in Rhodesia), ‘rocker mit motorra¨-dern!’ (bikers with motorcycles) – pour out a bag of sugar near the Berlin Wall, and perform an array of other more ordinary activities like eating and waiting, all for a ‘Zufallspublikum’ (chance public).2 These ‘events’ indicate the ambivalent politics and site-specificity of Vostell’s work, which often explored the topography of post-war Germany
Key Questions
What is the central focus of *Concrete Violence – Wolf Vostell’s Disasters of War*?
The article explores Wolf Vostell’s series *Disasters of War*, analyzing how the artist uses concrete as a medium to comment on violence, war, and human suffering. It situates Vostell’s work in the broader context of postwar European art and politics, examining his engagement with themes of memory, trauma, and collective responsibility.
How does Wolf Vostell’s use of concrete relate to the theme of violence?
Vostell employs concrete as a material metaphor for permanence and oppression. The weight and immutability of concrete evoke the enduring scars of war and the inescapable reality of human suffering. By embedding objects and images associated with conflict into concrete, Vostell creates a visceral, physical representation of violence and its aftermath.
What is the historical and cultural context of Vostell’s *Disasters of War*?
Vostell’s work emerges from postwar European art, deeply influenced by the traumas of World War II and the Holocaust. The series reflects on the devastation of war and critiques the modern world's desensitization to violence. Drawing parallels to Goya’s *Disasters of War*, Vostell addresses the cyclical nature of conflict and humanity's failure to learn from history.
How does Vostell’s work connect to Francisco Goya’s *Disasters of War*?
Vostell’s *Disasters of War* draws inspiration from Goya’s graphic series, which depicted the horrors of the Napoleonic Wars. While Goya used etching to convey the brutality of war, Vostell’s medium of concrete adds a physical and modern dimension to the critique of violence. Both artists highlight the inhumanity of war, but Vostell situates his work within the context of industrialization and modern warfare.
What role does materiality play in Vostell’s art?
Materiality is central to Vostell’s practice. By incorporating concrete, an industrial and seemingly emotionless material, he challenges the viewer to confront the weight and permanence of violence. The material itself becomes a participant in the artwork, symbolizing the cold, unfeeling nature of mechanized warfare and industrialized societies.
How does the article interpret Vostell’s critique of modern society?
The article argues that Vostell’s *Disasters of War* critiques modern society’s complicity in violence and its detachment from the human cost of conflict. By embedding everyday objects in concrete, Vostell exposes the normalization of violence in industrialized cultures and the passive acceptance of war as a part of modern life.
What themes of memory and trauma are explored in Vostell’s work?
Vostell’s *Disasters of War* delves into the themes of memory and trauma by embedding traces of violence into physical, immutable forms. The works serve as memorials to the victims of war, forcing viewers to confront the legacies of past conflicts and the collective responsibility to remember and resist violence.
What influence did postwar European politics have on Vostell’s art?
Postwar European politics, particularly the tensions of the Cold War and the aftermath of World War II, profoundly shaped Vostell’s work. His *Disasters of War* reflects a critical stance toward the political and social structures that perpetuate conflict and inequality, challenging audiences to question their role in a world marked by violence.
How does Vostell’s work engage with collective responsibility?
Vostell’s art confronts viewers with the physical and emotional weight of violence, implicating society as a whole in the perpetuation of war and suffering. The use of concrete as a symbol of industrial modernity underscores the shared responsibility of individuals and institutions in addressing and preventing violence.
What legacy does Vostell’s *Disasters of War* leave for contemporary art?
Vostell’s *Disasters of War* remains a powerful commentary on the enduring presence of violence in human history. Its innovative use of materials and its critique of modernity’s complicity in conflict have influenced contemporary artists exploring themes of trauma, memory, and social responsibility. The series continues to resonate as a call to confront the inhumanity of war and advocate for peace.
