Schmela
About this artwork
The title of the work refers to Alfred Schmela, the German artist and owner of Galerie Schmela in Düsseldorf. Schmela was a promoter of avant garde art and an early supporter of Beuys. Beuys first met Schmela in 1958, and was introduced to Yves Klein by the gallerist. He performed some of his 'actions' at Galerie Schmela, including the infamous 1965 performance 'How to Explain Pictures to a Dead Hare'. This painting in Braunkreuz oil looks to be of a figure at the edge of a cliff, perhaps suggesting Schmela's risky role as pioneer of new and cutting-edge art.
Updated before 2020
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artist:Joseph Beuys (1921 - 1986) German
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title:Schmela
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date created:1966
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materials:Oil paint on paper
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measurements:40.00 x 56.40 cm
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object type:
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credit line:ARTIST ROOMS National Galleries of Scotland and Tate. Acquired jointly through The d'Offay Donation with assistance from the National Heritage Memorial Fund and Art Fund, 2008
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accession number:AR00676
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gallery:
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artwork photographed by:Antonia Reeve
Joseph Beuys
Joseph Beuys
German artist Beuys believed that art was integral to everyday life. According to Beuys his own art was shaped by an experience early in his life. As a Luftwaffe pilot during the war, he claimed that he was shot down over the Crimea and was saved by nomadic Tartars. Barely alive, he was wrapped in...
