Joseph Beuys

Reference:GB 2610 GMA A31
Dates of Creation:1974
Physical Description:

Scope and Content
A photographic record by Caroline Tisdall of the performance 'Three Pots for the Poorhouse' by Joseph Beuys at Forrest Hill, Edinburgh 1974:
/1. 32 b and w photographs of 'Three Pots for the Poorhouse', Action Object 1974 ( GMA 1318)
/2. Photograph of Joseph Beuys and Douglas Hall (formerly Keeper of the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art) inscribed verso by Beuys: for Douglas Hall/ with best regards/ and friendly [sic] / Joseph Beuys
/3. Postcard from Joseph Beuys to Douglas Hall, 4 January 1986
(33 items)
/4. 2 x certificates for Beuys Multiples
Administrative / Biographical History
Joseph Beuys was born in Krefeld in 1921, and was a sculptor, performance artist, printmaker and teacher. Beuys was shot down while flying over the Crimea on May 16, 1944, and was injured. Later in life, Beuys recounted that he had been rescued by nomad Tatars, who kept him warm by covering him with fat and wrapping him in felt, thus saving his life. These materials would be common in his work. From 1946 - 1951 he studied at the Kunstakademie in Düsseldorf. In 1961 he became a professor of sculpture there, but was dismissed from his post after insisting that anyone could attend his classes. His association with the Fluxus group from 1962 appears to have inspired his movement towards performance art. He pursued in his performance art ('Aktionen') and sculpture an 'expanded concept of art', aimed at a total permeation of life by creative acts. In 1970 he came to Scotland at the invitation of Richard Demarco (see GMA A37) and took part in his Festival exhibition 'Strategy:Get Arts'. He visited Scotland again several times over the next ten years. Politically active, in 1979 and Beuys stood for election as a Green Party European Parliament candidate, but they failed to get the 5% needed to gain representation. He died in Dusseldorf in 1986.
Access Information
The Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art Archives and Special Collections are open Monday - Friday, 10.00 - 1.00 and 2.00 - 4.30 by appointment only. Please contact Modern2ReadingRoom@nationalgalleries.org to arrange a time to visit. As we are a small team, we request that you get in touch 1 – 2 weeks before you intend to visit so that we can check availability.
Physical Characteristics and/or Technical Requirements
31 b&w photographs
Conditions Governing Use
All material is subject to copyright restrictions. Requests to reproduce original material should be made to the National Galleries of Scotland’s Image Licensing team (https://www.nationalgalleries.org/copyright-image-licensing)
Custodial History
Purchased, 1974
Related Material
The SNGMA Collection holds work by Beuys including 'Three Pots in the Poorhouse' (GMA 1318); see also GMA.A.37 for related material