“Sweat and Blood” explores themes of inner emigration — personal alienation from oppressive systems — amid sensory overload and mental escapism, blending social critique and personal trauma, while confronting today’s normalization of war through subtle acts of withdrawal rather than confrontation.
Drawing from actionism’s romanticized exploration of trauma, this work shifts focus to the modern response to horror: not radical shock but an aestheticized, introspective escapism. It critiques the sanitized, selective engagement with war, violence and discrimination that dominates today’s information space.
Curated by Julia Moebus-Puck
Production assistant Felix Wittibschlager
06.12.2024, 6:00 pm: Opening & Artist Talk
07.12.2024, 7:00 pm: Music Performance
08.12.2024, 6:00 pm: Performance
“Sweat and Blood” is a new multidisciplinary art project by Diana Burkot (member of the Pussy Riot collective for over 10 years, member of the Riot Days Show by Pussy Riot for 5 years) presented in different forms, one of which is a music album and live show.
Blending atmospheric sound design with emotionally charged vocals, poetry, performance and personal narratives, this show delves into themes of inner exile / emigration, trauma, and resistance against social and political repression.
Each song or narrative is named for its protagonist, illuminating individuals who navigate restrictions on freedom, isolation, and societal constraints—shedding light on lives that reflect broader social issues.
Throughout the performance, these stories are brought to life by the project’s creator, Diana Burkot in collaboration with the characters of the songs, whose artistic interpretation transforms personal experiences into a powerful statement on human rights, identity, and inner strength.
In the mythology of “Sweat and Blood”, characters with unique fates drive the project’s narrative, using personal stories to critique society and politics.
But central to each story is not only people but a red something — a “source” that embodies an animistic force with “shifting behavior”, interacting with each character’s essence to reveal hidden truths.
The source transcends human-made notations or systems, but striving exposes deep desires, fears and contradictions, the human quest for meaning, themes of faith, violence, and hope.
The performance ‘Sweat and Blood’ is an act of protest from a feminist perspective, intended to express powerlessness in the face of various forms of violence, but above all political violence. The work plays with the intersections of power, war, vulnerability and collective guilt and can be read as a clear anti-war statement.
Diana Burkot
MUSIC PERFORMANCE SWEAT AND BLOOD, 07.12.2024, WAM
photos © kunstdokumentationen.com
Diana Burkot
Installation view: SWEAT AND BLOOD
photos © kunstdokumentationen.com
Diana Burkot
Performance SWEAT AND BLOOD, 08.12.2024, WAM
Video © kunstdokumentationen.com
Copyright 2025 WA-M Wiener Aktionismus Museum GmbH
Copyright 2025 WA-M Wiener Aktionismus Museum GmbH
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Four Actions
14.02.2025 – 27.07.2025
Exhibition: 14.02.2025 – 27.07.2025
Four Actions
With its second exhibition, the WAM is now going into greater depth. The opening exhibition WHAT IS VIENNA ACTIONISM? first offered an overview of the multi-layered developments of this movement in the 1960s, whereby the individual actions were only presented with exemplary photos. Now, under the title FOUR ACTIONS, an exhibition series is being launched that presents selected actions with all the available historical material. In this way, it will be possible for the first time to understand the actions in all their detail. The aim of the exhibition is to open up new perspectives on the reception of Vienna Actionism through the precise examination of individual actions.
Exhibition: 28.05. – 27.07.2025
Arbeit am Fleisch.
Thomas Feuerstein
Thomas Feuerstein is one of the most exciting and versatile artists of his generation. In his works, he combines art with science, literary history and philosophy – always with an eye on the boundaries of body, identity and life.
Following on from the tradition of Vienna Actionism, Feuerstein addresses central themes such as corporeality, transformation and the merging of art and life. The focus is particularly on the question: How is our relationship to the body changing in a world that is increasingly digital, technological and networked?
June 2025
June 12, Thursday, 6:00 pm
The Vienna Actionism Museum (not just the Museum of Viennese Actionism) is currently presenting numerous results of the work of contemporary Thomas Feuerstein. The exhibits are not marvelled at and admired as works of art, but as the tools of the cognitive work to which Feuerstein,…
June 17, Tuesday, 6:00 pm
The Austrian artist Thomas Feuerstein leads through the exhibition ARBEIT AM FLEISCH.
June 19, Thursday, 5:00 pm
Tour through the current exhibition.
July 2025
July 3, Thursday, 6:00 pm
The Austrian artist Thomas Feuerstein leads through the exhibition ARBEIT AM FLEISCH.
July 05, Saturday, 3:00 pm
Tour through the current exhibition.
July 6, Sunday, 4:00 pm
Our director Julia Moebus-Puck gives a personal insight into the development of Vienna Actionism.
July 17, Thursday, 5:00 pm
Tour through the current exhibition.
July 26, Saturday, 6:00 pm
The Austrian artist Thomas Feuerstein leads through the exhibition ARBEIT AM FLEISCH.
Wednesday 30, July 2025, 7:00 pm
Young Boy Dancing Group has been creating site-specific live performances since 2014 that are characterised by physical intensity, improvisation and a striking DIY aesthetic. …