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Joseph Beuys’s legacy as an artist, teacher, and activist continues to shape the art world and ignite conversations about the role of art in society.
In recognition of his contributions, numerous retrospective exhibitions have been held posthumously, including those at the Tate Modern in London, the Museum of Modern Art in New York, and the Hamburger Bahnhof in Berlin.
Who Was Joseph Beuys?
Joseph Heinrich Beuys was a German artist, teacher, performance artist, and art theorist whose work reflected concepts of humanism, sociology, and anthroposophy.
He was a significant figure in the development of Happenings and a creator of the controversial art movement Fluxus.
Early Life
Joseph Beuys was born on May 12, 1921, in Krefeld, Germany. Josef Jakob Beuys, his father, was a trader, while his mother, Johanna Maria Margarete Beuys née Hülsermann, was a housewife. The family moved from Krefeld to Kleve, a town in Germany’s Lower Rhine area, shortly after his birth.
Beuys attended the Katholische Volksschule for primary school and the Staatliches Gymnasium Cleve for secondary school.
Beuys exhibited talent in sketching and developed an interest in music at a young age. He studied the scientific sciences, as well as Nordic history and mythology, and took piano and cello lessons.
When the Nazi Party held a book-burning in Kleve in 1933, Beuys saved a book from the flames, signalling his early opposition to the regime’s ideology.
Beuys joined the Hitler Youth in 1936, as was required of all German children and adolescents at the time. He was 15 years old when he took part in the Nuremberg demonstration in 1936. Despite his membership in the Hitler Youth, Beuys ultimately disavowed the organization’s beliefs.
Art and War
Beuys pondered a career in medicine at first, but was lured to sculpture in his last years of high school. He volunteered for the Luftwaffe in 1941 and received training as an aircraft radio operator. During this time, he also attended biology and zoology lectures at the University of Posen.
His interest in art began to form, and he began to consider it as a possible vocation.
Beuys was stationed in the Crimea as a member of several combat bomber groups during World War II. In a Ju 87 “Stuka” dive bomber, he was a rear gunner. Despite the chaos, Beuys was able to sketch and doodle, displaying his early artistic technique.
However, on March 16, 1944, Beuys’ aircraft crashed on the Crimean Front, giving rise to the widely held belief that he was rescued by Tatar tribesmen who nursed him back to health with animal fat and felt.
Artistic Career and Philosophy
After the war, Beuys focused on his work and education. From 1947 to 1953, he studied at the Kunstakademie Düsseldorf, where he was exposed to numerous artistic movements and ideologies. In the early 1960s, he co-founded the Fluxus movement, which promoted experimentation and audience participation while criticising traditional forms of art.
Beuys’ work was distinguished by his conviction in the transformative power of artistic action. He coined the term “social sculpture,” which broadened the scope of art to include societal and political spheres.
He held open public debates on a wide range of topics, including politics, the environment, social issues, and culture. Through his art, Beuys aspired to disrupt established systems and ideas.
Teaching and Activism
From 1961 to 1972, Beuys taught at the Kunstakademie Düsseldorf, where he impacted many students and artists. He was also instrumental in the creation of the German Green Party, which advocated for environmental and social reasons.
Beuys’ art received international acclaim, and he exhibited widely during his career. “How to Explain Pictures to a Dead Hare” (1965) and “Fettecke” (1965) are two of his major works.
Until his death on January 23, 1986, in Düsseldorf, Germany, he continued to experiment with new forms of artistic expression.
Legacy
Joseph Beuys is still a major force in the art world and beyond. His faith in the transformational potential of art, as well as his commitment to social and political causes, continue to inspire artists and activists today.
His thoughts on social sculpting and humanism have left an indelible mark, and his works may be found in museums and galleries all over the world.
