An important return to Leeds by Joseph Beuys, who last displayed his work in the city in 1983.

Joseph Beuys (1921–1986) was one of the twentieth century’s most revolutionary cultural figures, who changed the look and meaning of sculpture forever. A political and social activist and educator, Beuys saw creativity as central to all aspects of human existence, declaring that ‘everyone is an artist’.

This major exhibition introduces his ground-breaking sculptures, iconic persona and ‘constellation of ideas’ to a new generation. These works, drawn from the ARTIST ROOMS collection, as well as the National Galleries of Scotland and Tate, show the strong scientific basis for Beuys’s art and his pioneering use of materials such as felt, fat, wax and copper. At the heart of the exhibition is the sculpture Scala Napoletana 1985, made only a few months before the artist’s death in 1986.

For more information about the exhibition and events programme, visit the Leeds Art Gallery website.

Image: Joseph Beuys, Joseph Beuys als Titelbild der Wirtschaftswoche [Joseph Beuys for the cover of Wirtschaftswoche (Business Week)] (detail), 1976, 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