The triangular shapes in this drawing recall the wedges of fat and felt the artist was using in his sculptures during the same period. The drawing may be a sketch for a particular sculpture or a way of experimenting with ideas for the composition of a piece. The upright triangular elements are balanced by the curved section at the top of the page. Two of the triangles have a line between them ? this may represent a metal rod as Beuys used metal (particularly copper) in his sculptures because its conductivity counteracted the insulating powers of felt or fat.
Joseph Beuys (German, 1921 - 1986)
German artist Beuys believed that art was integral to everyday life. His own art was shaped by an experience early in his life. As a Luftwaffe pilot during the war, Beuys was shot down over the Crimea and was saved by nomadic Tartars. Barely alive, he was wrapped in felt and fat which preserved his body heat, and taken to safety on sledges pulled by dogs. This incident, and these particular elements, informed much of his art, which has a redemptive, mystical and ritualistic character. Central to his work were his 'Actions', which involved teaching, audience discussion and performance. The recurrent themes were social and political. Associated with the ecological movement - he was a founder member of the Green Party - he also had a strong influence on German politics.
