Cult figure Hermes Phettberg: A life between passion and pain

Cult figure Hermes Phettberg: A life between passion and pain

Wien, Österreich - On December 18, 2024, the Austrian artist, comedian and talk show presenter Hermes Phettberg died at the age of 72. Born with a bourgeois name Josef Fenz, Phettberg became known primarily through his unconventional art campaigns and his talk show "Phettberg's nice Leit Show", in which he received numerous prominent guests. This show made him a cult figure not only in Austria, but also in Germany and Switzerland, as vienna.at .

Phettberg, who grew up in a winegrowery family in Hollabrunn and initially worked as a bank employee, was a co -founder of the “Libertine Sadomasochisminitiative Vienna” and took part in various artistic projects that blown up the boundaries of conventional art. His provocative ideas and his unusual appearance meant that he received the Franz Grillparzer Prize in 1993 and in 2002 the City of Vienna for journalism. Minister of Culture Werner Kogler praised Phettberg on social media as a radical observer and artists who enriched our country with "humor and the indomitable curiosity of a child", so wikipedia .

After several health setbacks, including strokes, Phettberg lived in the last phase of his life, but still remained present in pop culture and appeared in music videos of young artists. His work, such as the column "Phettberg's sermon service" in the magazine "Falter" and his natural handling of taboo issues, sustainably shaped Austrian culture. Despite his physical challenges, his art remained provocative and full of life until his death.