Viennese Actionist artist Ingrid Wiener, known for her dream-inspired tapestries and collaborations with Valie Export and Dieter Roth, has passed away at the age of 83. Her works, combining textiles, painting, and photography, reflected her personal life and emotions. Wiener’s career was marked by a collaborative spirit and a defiance against conservative Austrian society post-World War II.

Born Ingrid Schuppan in 1942, Wiener’s friendship with Valie Export during their textile school days formed the foundation for her artistic journey. Together, they created tapestries inspired by Friedensreich Hundertwasser and later collaborated with Dieter Roth on innovative weaving techniques. Their partnership resulted in five collaborative tapestries, further cementing Wiener’s unique style.

Wiener’s move to Berlin in 1969 saw her culinary skills showcased at the restaurant Exile, which became a hub for the art community. She later relocated to Canada, where her landscape-inspired watercolors emerged from her dreams. Her work, spanning textiles, painting, and photography, remains a significant part of Austrian art history.

The Charim Gallery, which represented Wiener, mourns her passing, stating, ‘Over the years, our artistic collaboration with Ingrid developed into a close personal friendship. Ingrid was far more to us than an artist represented by the gallery. It is painful to lose Ingrid.’

Wiener’s legacy lives on through her rich and complex body of work, leaving an indelible mark on both textile and conceptual art.