Broodthaerss

Joseph Beuys, born in Krefeld, Germany in 1921, was a highly influential German artist and educator. He is widely recognized for his conceptual art, performance art, and his theories on social sculpture and expanded art. Beuys’s work often explored themes of healing, memory, and the transformative power of art. He developed a unique artistic language, frequently incorporating felt, fat, and other unconventional materials in his sculptures and installations.

Beuys was also a prominent figure in the Fluxus movement, a loose international network of artists who shared a common interest in challenging the boundaries of art and its relationship to society. His teaching career at the Düsseldorf Academy of Fine Arts was impactful, though often controversial, as he encouraged his students to think beyond traditional artistic disciplines and engage with social and political issues. His concept of "social sculpture" posited that every individual is an artist and that society itself is a work of art to be shaped collaboratively. Beuys's legacy continues to influence contemporary art practice, particularly in its emphasis on social engagement and the potential of art to instigate change. He passed away in 1986.