The Anarchistic Amateur’s Art & Alphabet: Herbert Muller-Guttenbrunn

M for man: The future occupant of a coffin that walks around for a while and is allowed to do all sorts of silly things

Compiling approximately 50 of Austrian anarchist writer and editor Herbert Muller-Guttenbrunn’s (1887-1945) definitions, reflections and aphorisms, this abecedarium provokes and delights in equal measure. Muller-Guttenbrunn wrote prolifically and in a variety of genres, but he is best known for his magazine Das Nebelhorn, in which he espoused individualistic, anarchist, pacifist and vegetarian ideas–often through biting satirical prose. No mere armchair radical, Muller-Guttenbrunn endeavored to be self-sufficient himself, experimenting with Asian field culture as well as organic and livestock farming. His anarchist writings inspired the ire of state authorities, and he was convicted on several occasions. This publication pairs each of his maxims with works by contemporary artists, including Ingo Abeska, Iris Andraschek, bankleer and Blue Noses Group, Nayari Castillo, Christian Eisenberger, Memed Erdener, Veza Fernandez / Christina Lederhaas, Aldo Giannotti, Johannes Gierlinger, Anne Glassner, G.R.A.M., Michael Heindl, Andreas Heller, Johanna Hierzegger, Anita Hofer / Reni Hofmuller and Katrin Hornek, among others.