Joseph Beuys

The close co-operation with Joseph Beuys (born 1921 in Krefeld, Germany) was the starting point of Bernd Klüser’s gallery and publishing activity. Up to the present day the Galerie Klüser has been representing the artist. Besides, the gallery supported and organized several museum exhibitions, is the editor of a large number of his editions and published many catalogues on the artist. In 1971 Bernd Klüser edited the first Catalogue Raisonné of the Beuys Multiples (together with Jörg Schellmann). As a performance artist, sculptor, draftsman and art theorist Joseph Beuys left a remarkable wide range of works that are posing essential and key questions of art, society and its systems. He generated his ideas from a scientifice approach as well as a creative and intuitive one. Joseph Beuys saw his artworks in the context of a transmitter-receiver model, helping him to spread his messages to the public. Thereby materials like felt, fat, chocolate and copper served as an energy carrier. After the Second World War Joseph Beuys studied at the art academy in Düsseldorf. In 1961 he was appointed professor of monumental sculpture at the same institution. During the time of his lectureship Joseph Beuys defined the “extended concept of art” with the “social sculpture” resulting in a progressive conception. When Joseph Beuys abolished the entry requirements of the academy by accepting all rejected applicants to his class, he was dismissed from his position. As a result he founded his own institution namely the “Freie Internationale Hochschule für Kreativität und interdisziplinäre Forschung“. Up to his date of death in 1986 Joseph Beuys was constantly dealing with society-related art theories and political topics.