David Bowie's Visit to Gugging Clinic
In September 1994, David Bowie and Brian Eno visited the Maria Gugging Psychiatric Clinic outside Vienna. The visit, documented by photographer Christine de Grancy, occurred at the invitation of Austrian artist André Heller. The clinic's Haus der Künstler, established in 1981, functions as a communal home and studio internationally known for Art Brut or "Outsider Art" produced by residents.
Influence on "1. Outside" Album
Bowie expressed admiration for the artists at Gugging, noting their uninhibited approach to painting. This experience served as a conceptual catalyst for Bowie's 1995 album, "1. Outside." Artists like August Walla, known for work layered with symbols and invented languages that covered the clinic's walls, and Oswald Tschirtner, who created minimalist line drawings, made a particular impression on Bowie.
Bowie described the atmosphere of the clinic as "stunning" and "cold," remarking on the extensive artwork covering the facility's surfaces. Upon returning to the studio to work on "1. Outside," Bowie and Eno attempted to replicate the spontaneity observed at Gugging, even having musicians redecorate the studio to foster a sense of play.
Clinic's History and Exhibition
The Gugging clinic was involved in the Nazi Aktion T4 program, which resulted in the murder of hundreds of patients with mental and physical disabilities. Bowie's family history included experiences with mental illness.
An exhibition titled "A Day with David" featuring Christine de Grancy's photographs of the visit will open at the Joondalup festival in Western Australia in March, in collaboration with the Santa Monica Art Museum. The exhibition includes 28 framed black-and-white works, large-format prints, a video installation with archival footage, and a full-scale recreation of August Walla's painted room.
Christine de Grancy, who died shortly before the exhibition opened at the Santa Monica Art Museum, had kept the photographs in her archive for nearly three decades. The photographs aim to offer proximity to the experience rather than celebrity voyeurism.