Joseph Beuys planting the Oak trees.

Joseph Beuys was a German sculptor, Political Leader, founded the German Green Party, Musician, Teacher, installation artist, graphic artist, art theorist.

Throughout his career, Beuys created over 70 actions (performance days), approximately 50 installations, participated in 130 solo exhibits, the nature of his work is to not be fixed or finished. His performances and sculptures looked at the idea of transformation. The performance which demonstrates this the greatest is one of his final pieces 7000 Oaks.

In this performance he simply does what he says, his idea was to plant 7000 oak trees around Manhatten. Alongside each tree is a basalt stone, the pieces together create a contrast of organic materials against the urban landscape. Each tree would be a monument, consisting of a living part, the tree, which is changing and growing all the time. The oak tree was used as it is a slowly growing tree. This was a symbol used to show the transformation of all life, of all society and the whole ecological system. Unfortuantely Beuys only managed to plant 5,500 oaks before passing away, his son stepped in to complete the project his father had begun.

As Beuys was a sculpture his works included a variety of materials. In many of his performances he used fat and felt. I Like America and America Likes Me was his famous performance with a Coyote where he boarded a plane from Germany to New York. Before getting out of the plane he was blindfolded and transported to an apartment in an old ambulance. Once in the room, he took the blindfold off and spent three days and three nights with the Coyote. He covered himself in a large piece of felt, this was eventually ripped off him by the Coyote. He found that he could manipulate the Coyote to behave like him. For instance when he would lay down, the Coyote would too. A stack of papers were brought to the room each day and each day the Coyote would urinate on them. Beuys believes that this was an insight into the Coyote’s opinions on American society. The performance ended the same way it began, Beuys was blindfolded, left the room and was transported back to the plane in an old ambulance and flew back to Germany. He never saw America.

WORKS CITED

W, Wyatt (2010) Joseph Beuys w/Coyote Online: www.youtube.com (accessed: February 15th)