Joseph Beuys

Two flyers framed Recto & Verso

Signed by artist

c. 1974-1977

Framed: 14 x 17 inches

Inside Frame: 8 x 11 inches

unlimited edition, although less than 500 signed

published by Edition Klaus Staeck, Heidelberg, Germany

Ref. https://www.edition-staeck.de/produkt/joseph-beuys-diebstahl/

Announcement on flyer reads: “Kaiser Wilhelm Museum, Verwaltung der Kunstmuseen. D i e b s t a h l. Am Sonntag, den 9. Juni 1974 sind zwei Beuys-Zeichnungen aus unsere Ausstellung gestohlen worden. Bitte setzen Sie sich mit uns oder mit der Kriminalpolizei in Verbindung, falls Ihnen die Zeichnungen angeboten werden.”

English translation:

‘Kaiser Wilhelm Museum, Administration of the Art Museums.

T h e f t.

On Sunday, June 9th 1974, two Beuys drawings were stolen from our exhibition.

Please contact us or the Criminal Investigation Department in case these drawings are offered to you.’

• The Walker Museum has one signed print in their collection.

About the Artist

Joseph Beuys (BOYSS) German: ; 12 May 1921 – 23 January 1986) was a German artist, theorist and teacher who was highly influential in international contemporary art in the latter half of the 20th century. He is a founder of the art movement known as Fluxus, and a practitioner and exemplar of happenings, and performance art. He adopted media and techniques including paint, sculpture, graphic art and installation.

His work is grounded in concepts of humanism, social philosophy and anthroposophy; it culminates in his "extended definition of art" and the idea of social sculpture as a gesamtkunstwerk, for which he claimed a creative, participatory role in shaping society and politics. His career was characterized by open public debates on a very wide range of subjects including political, environmental, social and long term cultural trends. He is widely regarded as one of the most influential artists of the second half of the 20th century.^[1][2]