Joseph Bueys photo

Joseph Bueys

Joseph Heinrich Beuys (/bɔɪs/ BOYSS, German: [ˈjoːzɛf ˈbɔʏs]) was a German artist, teacher, performance artist, and art theorist whose work reflected concepts of humanism, sociology, and anthroposophy. He was a founder of a provocative art movement known as Fluxus and was a key figure in the development of Happenings.

Beuys is known for his "extended definition of art" in which the ideas of social sculpture could potentially reshape society and politics. He frequently held open public debates on a wide range of subjects, including political, environmental, social, and long-term cultural issues.


“This kind of art school is for me the least important. A spiritual structure is needed. If a person is an artist he can use the most primitive of instruments:- a broken knife is enough. Otherwise it remains a craft school.”
Joseph Bueys
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“The ego must be developed, not for its own sake, but because it is needed by society. If you are only interested in self-realisation then you cannot make a good painting. To do this you have to have thought about forming and about how ideas of forming stem from history.”
Joseph Bueys
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