Hermann Nitsch, an Austrian avant-garde artist known for his use of blood and animal entrails, has died. He was 83 years old.

On Tuesday, Rita Nitsch's wife, Nitsch, told the Austrian Press Agency that Nitsch died on Monday at a hospital in the Austrian home of Mistelbach after a severe illness.

Nitsch, born in Vienna on August 29, 1938, was a multifaceted artist who dabbled in performance art, painting, sculpting, and composing. He was a co-founder of Viennese Actionism also is best known for his Theater of Orgies and Mysteries, which was conceived as a visceral synthesis of the arts and culminated in a 6-day Play in 1998, involving 13,000 liters (more than 3,400 gallons) of wine, hundreds of liters of blood, kilograms of grapes and tomatoes, several animal carcasses, and musical accompaniment.

His works and performances drew a lot of flak. Following protests against one of his exhibitions, Nitsch stated in 2015 that the meat he uses is not for human consumption but for a theatre performance, which serves a higher purpose.

Before his 80th birthday, he told the German news agency DPA that overcoming the revulsion barrier is an artistic task. Museums dedicated to Nitsch's work can be found in Mistelbach, Austria, and Naples, Italy.

Nitsch "redefined" the Austrian art world, according to Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen. "Austria is mourning the loss of a fascinating painter and an impressive individual," he said. "I am certain that his work will live on."