Gustav Metzger

Gustav Metzger
Gustav Metzger in 2009.
Born	(1926-04-10)April 10, 1926 Nuremberg
Died	March 1, 2017(2017-03-01) (aged 90)
Education	Royal Academy of Fine Arts
Known for	Auto-Destructive Art
Movement	Fluxus, Art Strike

Gustav Metzger (10 April 1926 – 1 March 2017) was an artist and political activist who developed the concept of Auto-Destructive Art and the Art Strike. Together with John Sharkey, he initiated the Destruction in Art Symposium in 1966. Metzger was recognised for his protests in the political and artistic realms.

Metzger was born to Polish Jewish parents in Nuremberg, Germany, in 1926 and came to Britain in 1939 as a refugee under the auspices of the Refugee Children Movement. He was stateless since the late 1940s. He received a grant from the UK Jewish community to study at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Antwerp between 1948 and 1949. It is with an experience of twentieth century society's destructive capabilities that led Metzger to a concentrated 'formulation of what destruction is and what it might be in relation to art.'

His experience of twentieth century society's destructive capabilities led Metzger to a concentrated 'formulation of what destruction is and what it might be in relation to art.' He was known as a leading exponent of the Auto-Destructive Art and the Art Strike movements. He was also active in the Committee of 100 - a 'named' member

In 1959, Metzger published the first auto-destructive manifesto Auto-Destructive Art. This was given as a lecture to the Architecture Association in 1964, which was taken over by students as an artistic 'Happening'. In 1962 he participated in the Festival of Misfits organised by members of the Fluxus group, at Gallery One, London. Guitarist Pete Townshend from The Who studied with Metzger, and during the 1960s, Metzer's work was projected on screens at The Who concerts.

In 2005, he selected EASTinternational which he proclaimed to be "The art exhibition without the art."