The Master Game (1998)

The Master Game (1998) poster

At the Vienna Art Academy in 1994, an unidentified person painted over 27 works by Austrian painter Arnulf Rainer. Rainer had become world-famous for his abstract art and, in particular, for his over-layering of photographs and overpainting of his own and other artists’ works. But who painted over the “overpainter”? Speculation rages: Did he attack his works himself? A year later, an unsigned letter surfaces claiming responsibility for the act directed against Rainer – and modern art in general – and accusing the artist of being complicit with “destructive modernism.” At the same time, Austria is shaken by a series of mail bombs by the Bajuwarian Liberation Army, in response to the supposed threat to Austria’s “German identity.” Are there connections between the overpainting event and the mail bombs? Or is this all just a game? A dream? Or perhaps a hallucination?

Director: Lutz Dammbeck
Genre: Documentary
Runtime: 106 min
Release Date:

Cast

Screenplay

Music: J.U. Lensing
Editing: Margot Neubert-Marić
Production: Lutz Dammbeck Filmproduktion
Country: Germany
Language: Deutsch
Original Language: en

Keywords

neo-nazism, conspiracy theory, art

More Films by Director: Lutz Dammbeck
More Films in Genre: Documentary

Frequently Asked Questions

What is The Master Game about?
At the Vienna Art Academy in 1994, an unidentified person painted over 27 works by Austrian painter Arnulf Rainer. Rainer had become world-famous for his abstract art and, in particular, for his over-layering of photographs and overpainting of his own and other artists’ works. But who painted over the “overpainter”? Speculation rages: Did he attack his works himself? A year later, an unsigned letter surfaces claiming responsibility for the act directed against Rainer – and modern art in general – and accusing the artist of being complicit with “destructive modernism.” At the same time, Austria is shaken by a series of mail bombs by the Bajuwarian Liberation Army, in response to the supposed threat to Austria’s “German identity.” Are there connections between the overpainting event and the mail bombs? Or is this all just a game? A dream? Or perhaps a hallucination?
Who directed The Master Game?
The Master Game was directed by Lutz Dammbeck.
Who stars in The Master Game?
The Master Game stars Lutz Dammbeck.
How long is The Master Game?
The Master Game has a runtime of 1h 46m (106 minutes).
What genre is The Master Game?
The Master Game is a Documentary film.
Where was The Master Game produced?
The Master Game was produced in Germany.