About this artwork
Food was an important medium for Beuys. Honey was probably the edible item he used most frequently, but his sculptures and 'actions' also included chocolate, butter, sausages and fish. Like the thick wedges of fat he was fond of using, food would degrade over time. This aspect of change and decay inherent in the material was part of its attraction to the artist, meaning that the final form of his sculptures was not fixed. In this collage Beuys has used a small fish mounted on a piece of fish skin. Fish has the added aspect of being a symbol of Christ.
Updated before 2020
see media-
artist:Joseph Beuys (1921 - 1986) German
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title:Untitled
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date created:1980
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materials:Zinc, glass and fish skin on cardboard
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measurements:78.50 x 65.00 x 15.00 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:AR00627
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gallery:
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subject:
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...