Author Description

Conceived as an imaginary conversation with the artist on the 100th anniversary of his birth, this book pays homage to the revolutionary potential of Beuys' art and thought Is art the only truly revolutionary force? Is the future a category of art? Are these even the questions we need to be asking? One hundred years after the birth of Joseph Beuys, the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia is rearticulating questions fundamental to his art and thought. This publication provides an overview of the extensive program of Beuys 2021: 100 Years of Joseph Beuys--including exhibitions, lectures and performances--and examines what it is that makes this artist so controversial and still so very topical. It explores his complex oeuvre, pays homage to his international impact and rediscovers the revolutionary potential of his thought. A wide range of contributors from many different spheres, generations and cultures enter into a richly associative dialogue with his aphorisms. Together they explore the genesis and viability of Beuys' vision of a future based on the principles of art.