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Joseph BeuysExpanded art concept / sculptural theory

Beuys had the need to get a deep understanding about essens of the human being and his connection with the universe.He questions for the creative powers of the human being, therefore he is looking for ways to extend the perception and the possibilities of creation, because the theory and practise did not meet his requirements. He thougth that there is no kind of special art materiala or mediums or even a special person to do art. He thought about art as a transformative power to take matter and transform it and find a form that is right for the purpose and right to show the idea of the willpowers.

> Beauty is the gloss of the true <, according to Beuys and not a question of a nice surface. Thereby Beuys points out to the fact that beauty and knowledge deal with each other. In the analysis of the materialist world view he grants the idea of freedom the uppermost formative priority.

This thinking finds its supplement in the idea that the idea which forms the matter , is able to have an effect back on the viewer.The choice of the matter is vital for the integration of the forces of the creation. Beuys said: ".... this question of " drawing on paper " comes far too late, I could say nothing reasonable about it. ( Beuys in the conversation with Louwrin Wijers, Duesseldorf, 3rd June, 1980). In the material forces become perceptible which go over onto the addressee. In the creation itself there is the question of knowledge itself, which intuitively calls itself.

" I work only if something announces itself, that I must become active" " witness's statement Klaus Tesching, class of Beuys approx. 1974

Intuition is the route of a correct creation which forms the material combined with inspiration and will, so that an idea becomes visible. "To see these ideas see is endlessly difficult for people " J.B., so that viewers which are not able to see any idea in the creation, would say that the whole thinig is nonsense or garbage.

 

In the creation process emotional forces active, warm forces, these will form then the work in the visible. The shaped form is a result of the transformation processes of the matter and fixes a point in the creation process in which Beuys stopped, because the idea has become visible. The form itself is a numb creation process, cools off and stays behind with the time. It needs transformations by the people over and over again to hold the processes alive.

 

Beuys is at first a generalist (an all-rounder) then specialist (expert). He refers to a viewpoint far beyond the globe and worked on the question of the human being and the universe and believes the work of spiritual forces in nature and in the human life. He gave suggestions for the reorganisation of the cultural and social life as well as for the economy.

With his "Free International University" (FIU) he wanted to create the culture of the next century. Since he sees the contemporaries as. " ... more and more alienated from their life, from their job, from inwardness, from their creativity." (thus Beuys in the conversation with Louwrin Wijers, Duesseldorf, 3rd June, 1980). At other point of the conversation he said: " That means at the workplaces, in the hospital, in the industry, at the railways, at the university, there should be a new concept of creativity around, so to speak which has, however, the consequence that one understands this system.

This is the "anthropological art concept " which also entitles us to say:" Every person is an artist. Nevertheless, I do not say: Every person can be Rembrandt. " And at other point Beuys said " First you should think of all about how you regard yourself as a human being generally...

" I always wanted to admonish the people once to begin with their thinking. So whether they can justify themselves... This would be for me the real creative task, nevertheless. So, these questions of the whole creative inwardness, the willpower, the sensory forces, the intellectual ability to think. This is switched off too easy with this paintbrush and this paper. " (Beuys in the conversation with Louwrin Wijers, Duesseldorf, 3rd June, 1980)

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