Beuys Show Is Enjoyable Challenge
It's always been harder to seperate Beuys the man from Beuys the myth, especially as this artist's work is so rarely shown en masse. Tate Modern's Joseph Beuys retrospective goes a long way to addressing the problem.
Ten rooms, carefully curated, take in the major themes of the German artist, and cover the three distinct ways he worked - actions, environments and vitrines.
Even as a child, Beuys was interested in both the arts and natural sciences. And these twin themes are central to all his work. Understanding this, you can find the truth behind the smokescreen Beuys put up.
His environments or installations have a quasi-scientific rationale behind them, with different materials representing different properties. Felt is used for warmth, and as an insulator to store energy. Copper transmits this energy beyond the object itseld, and so on. The joy is that these environments, as well as having an imposing physical presence, have an incredibly personal side too. The materials are easy to understand, and are nearly all domestic.
In Room 1, towers of felt are topped by copper sheets and it's easy to understand and experience on a physical, sculptural level as well as having more depth for the experienced art reader.
The same can be said for his actions. 'I Like America and America Likes Me' is highlighted here. For three days, the artist lived in a room with a coyote, felt blankets, a walking stick and gloves. In the video shown, we see the coyote alternatively attacking and nervously skulking. You can read this piece as a David Blane style performance, or read the signs and symbols Beuys gives us for a more detailed understanding.
The centre piece of the show, 'The Pack', carries off the same trick: it's a physically stunning piece with a pack of sledges tumbling from the back of a real, rusted Volkswagen camper van. While we can read the piece with our knowledge of Beuys World War 2 plane crash in the Crimea, we can also see it, simply, as an iimposing sculpture. It could take place on a street near you.
Overall, the exhibiton is a stunner. I'm a self-confessed Beuys fan, and it was fantastic to see such a great collection together. Most interesting were the artist's personal touches, like his instructions that the monumental 'Tram Stop' should be exhibited in pieces placed on the floor. His humour was in evidence, with one installation including materials taken from a protest against Beuys work.
Forget this season's big Whistler Turner Monet, and challenge yourself (just a little) with Beuys at the Tate Modern.