Conversation with Renate Bertlmann, New York, 2003

In the 1970s, Renate Bertlmann studied painting in Austria, experiencing profound isolation as one of the few women at the art academy. Looking for support, she eventually joined political and feminist groups, working on projects like illustrations and layouts for a newspaper, but found that these groups didn’t fully appreciate her artistic ambitions.

Seeking a space where her art and activism could intersect, Bertlmann eventually found a community of female artists who later started their own feminist gallery and communication center. This group gave her a sense of belonging and collaboration, she explains, “because we were fighting for our desires and for our needs.” They faced significant resistance, such as when a male director dismissed their proposal for an all-women exhibition at Vienna’s Museum of the 20th Century, doubting the quality of female artists' work. Yet, with persistence and political support, they ultimately organized a successful international exhibition. Over time, however, the group’s momentum and influence waned.

Bertlmann’s feminist views became integral to her work. Fascinated by the tensions between genders and the links between control, violence, and sex, she created paintings, drawings, photos, and objects. “Then I thought, I must use my body,” she explains, incorporating items like wheelchairs, condoms, and sex dolls in her performances to explore the limits of male and female roles. In one act, she mimicked assaulting a life-size doll to understand a man’s perspective on rape, which she called “the worst thing in the world.” In another, she portrayed the paralyzing role of the bride. While in New York in 1980 for a performance at Franklin Furnace, Women Against Pornography introduced her to the sex industry, including a peep show, which she describes as “full of frustrated men” and “interesting but very frightening.”

Over the years, Bertlmann has alternated between working in groups and alone, striving to empower herself outside the patriarchal framework. She observes that younger audiences today are more receptive to her work’s raw honesty, and recent re-evaluations are honoring her significant contributions to feminist discourse and performance art. Despite isolation and societal pushback, she has learned to value her own power and stopped yielding to those who once limited her. “I can get it by myself. I don’t need them.” She hopes young artists might adopt her ethos earlier in their careers, without needing to endure the same trials.