The poop artist who paints with poop

Poop art is not a fantasy

It may appear like a value judgment to describe someone’s art as crappy. But, 45-year-old German artist Werner Härtl is best known for his elaborate paintings made of cow poo, which he proudly displays in front of admirers. This is poop art!

“I just use cow manure to create my art”, says the would-be Dungatello explaining it isn’t as stinky as one might think.

“When it is wet, the ‘paint’ is a bit funky”, Härtl said to Ripley’s Believe It or Not! in 2022. “But when it’s completely dry, it doesn’t smell anymore”.

According to The New York Post, in Reichersbeuern, the Germany-based artist claims his venture into feces-based art happened by accident ten years ago after he realized how difficult it was to remove the cow manure from his barn. While most people might have objected to the discovery, Härtl was intrigued by the excrement’s adhesive and coloring abilities and began conducting experiments with it.

“It has the perfect texture because it’s just fermented grass”, the dung maestro, who has produced more than 1,000 crap-estries since he began, exclaimed. His creative works have ranged from incredibly lifelike pastoral scenes to, maybe most appropriately, portraits of his cows, the source of his palette.

How is a scatological masterpiece made? Härtl begins gathering the “paint” like a cow milker.

“Well, I fetch the cows’ droppings with a canister as soon as they lift their tails”, the would-be Jackson Poolock explained. “Around two bowel movements deliver enough for half a year of creativity”.

In other words, cow pies have the potential to power the sepia-toned art world in addition to serving as a sustainable fuel source. Härtl then paints the poo on canvas using brushes or knives in the manner of a watercolor painting after adding water “to dilute the dung and achieve different shades”.

“I start scribbling using very dry, gentle brushstrokes”, he said. “Then, I use watered-down dung for light shades. Finally, I use dung with no water mixed in for the dark shades”.

As there are “layers” the excremental expressionist claims he works at “different drying times depending on the consistency of the dung”.

The fact that there is a lot of debris in the dung is the only drawback to working with manure. It can be challenging to manage because there are so many sticks, straws, clumps, and even sand and insect fragments in it, Härtl complained.

Clearly, some might consider handling cow waste to be unhygienic; nevertheless, Härtl asserts that he doesn’t “see any health or hygienic issues”.

“According to clinical studies in 2003, cow manure contains bacteria that’s healthy for humans”, he declared. “It strengthens the immune system and stimulates the production of serotonin”.

However, scientists warn against handling cow excrement since it may contain parasites and other infections, including E. coli and other contaminants, according to SFGate. The medium’s durability is undeniable, and Härtl wants to show this through his work.

“Cow dung is one thing above all: sustainable! It can be reused”, he told Bavaria Insider. “By painting with it, I want to emphasize the idea of the cycle”. The intrepid poop pioneer added, “I want to make people think and sensitize them to appreciate their environment more”.

Photo by Lisa Steinbacher/ CATERS NEWS