Blood artist's workshops for children

An artist who crucifies animals on stage and sprays the audience with blood has shocked critics by holding art workshops for children.

Extreme performance artist Hermann Nitsch - whose fans include David Bowie and Yoko Ono - has stunned audiences with his blood soaked events based on Roman sacrifices and orgies.



Now the controversial artist is staging art sessions for youngsters at a museum dedicated to his work in Mistelbach, Austria. Curator Dagmar Kunert explained: "Hopefully some the master's veneration for colour will rub off on them."

But the classes have infuriated critics who say his work is too extreme for children. "The only colour he used in the past was blood red. His work is too graphic for him to be anywhere near impressionable young minds," said one.