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For Siberian Symphony
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? DACS 2008

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For Siberian Symphony 1962
  • Artist Rooms
This drawing relates to an 'action' of February 1963 called 'Siberian Symphony, Section I'. As part of the performance, the artist tore the heart from a dead hare and hung the animal on a blackboard. Lumps of clay were connected with wires, as can be seen to the right of this image. The shape at the bottom of the drawing is a grand piano with its lid up, an item also used in the performance. Beuys had been introduced to performance art by the Fluxus group and this was one of his first public performances, or 'actions'. It was performed for the 'Festum Fluxorum Fluxus' at Düsseldorf Academy, where Beuys taught as professor of sculpture.

Glossary Open

Fluxus

A collective of international artists formed in 1960 by the artist George Maciunas. Their name means `flowing? in Latin, and they aimed to break down barriers between art and life by staging avant-garde musical performances and anti-art events which closely involved the public. A socially-motivated group, they promoted an inclusive and collective spirit and were opposed to the functionless art object and the ego-driven artist. Among the various group members were Joseph Beuys, Nam June Paik, John Cage, Daniel Spoerri and Yoko Ono.

Performance art

Works in which the actions of the artist constitute the art. Artists have used performance techniques throughout the 20th century but the term is usually applied to works from the 1960s onwards.

Fluxus, Performance art

Details

  • Acc. No. AR00655
  • Medium Oil and watercolour on paper
  • Size 63.90 x 63.50 cm
  • Credit ARTIST ROOMS National Galleries of Scotland and Tate. Acquired jointly through The d'Offay Donation with assistance from the National Heritage Memorial Fund and the Art Fund 2008

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