ZERO is a movement in the German modern and contemporary art during the period 1958 - 1966.

In 1958, the artist Heinz Mack and Otto Piene founded the ZERO-group. It is a European variant on the Colorfield Painting in the US. ZERO -artist, howerver, mostly produce monochrome works, oftenly white. Their goal was to reorganise the harmony between man and nature and to avoid any personal touch in the work. The name ZERO referred to the launching of a rocket what symbolises the beginning of a new era.

The ZERO-group had lots of international contacts with artists such as the Italian Lucio Fontana, the French Yves Klein and the Swiss Jean Tinguely.

The characteristics of ZERO are light, movement and monochrme painting. To create lightshadows, ZERO-artists oftenly used nails, relief and grooved surfaces. With ZERO, there is no line between paintings and sculpures.

In 1966, the ZERO-group dissolved. The most important Zero-artists are: Otto Piene, Heinz Mack and Günther Uecker. Internationally, lots of artists are seen as linked to ZERO.