Social sculpture

The social sculpture, also called social sculpture, is a specific definition of an expanded concept of art by the German artist Joseph Beuys. Beuys used the terms in order to explain his idea of ​​a society-changing art. In explicit contrast to a formal aesthetic reasoned understanding of the propagated by Beuys art concept includes that of human action with one that is geared towards structuring and shaping of society. Thus, the concept of art is no longer limited to the material tangible artifact.

Definition

The theory of " social sculpture " means each person can contribute through creative action for the good of the community and thereby plastizierend influence on society. From this idea, the much-quoted thesis of " social sculpture " emerged: " Everyone is an artist " Joseph Beuys the first time in 1967 expressed in its political activities. In contrast, humans are considered artists in common parlance, which are creatively active in the field of visual or performing arts and music. They create artworks or provide ideas to create their ready.

The presented Beuys against his idea that everyone can participate in it, to make life especially in politics and economic social and creative. For this purpose he directed the 1972 documenta 5 an information office of the Organization for Direct Democracy through Referendum and ran in 1979 as a representative of the Green Party for the European Parliament. Previously, he called the German student 's Party ( DSP ) and the Free International University (FIU ) to life, to effect society as a whole changes. The Free International University was divided later into the Green movement. Special skills for artists as creators of works of art are not necessary in this sense. Beuys was assumed that the skills necessary to achieve a social sculpture - this he often spoke of a "social organism " - spirituality, openness, creativity and imagination are, which are already present in everyone. These skills need to be recognized only trained and promoted.

The basis of the idea of ​​social sculpture is the man who developed through thought and language social structures. This development of the society knew Joseph Beuys as an ongoing creative process. Is the task of art is to make the people aware of this process. The overall context of social sculpture explained by a social, ie the public good in question act and the concept of plastic that identifies a modellierfähiges and malleable entity that is visual, haptic, acoustic and thermal experience and is equated with the perception of society. In contrast to a purely formal aesthetic concept of art as social sculpture includes an anthropological concept of art any creative human activity. With everything which people shape and thus creatively brings forth as a spiritual power, an individual is considered to be active social change.

This assumption out the art is no longer confined to material artefacts that are on display in a museum or a gallery, but to the entire society in which to operate by the requirement of Beuys art must take their place to outdated ways of life to replace them with new ones.

Background and significance

A major influence on conceptual art, Happening and Fluxus had Marcel Duchamp. Undoubtedly rezipierte Joseph Beuys this " inspirer of modern art " about his action The Silence of Marcel Duchamp is overrated beyond that occurred in 1964 in Dusseldorf and in which he had asked Duchamp's " anti-art term" critical to the disposition. Duchamp had the everyday object misused introduced in the museum, Beuys liberated these everyday art now out of the museum and in turn presented Duchamp in question, which was based on traditional ideas of art and announced: "We are together the social concept of art develop as a newborn child from the old disciplines".

Beuys now advanced the accustomed physical aspect of the art to the spiritual, intangible, but equally moldable plastic component. Finally, he introduced an interplay of concepts by defining polarities and art and anti-art faced, which ultimately led to the simple relation Everything and nothing is art. As a socially he defined based on the realization that man is a creative, world -determining beings and should jointly participate in this sensual experience. He formulated this insight into the often incoherent and arbitrary -quoted remark: " Every human being is an artist".

Reception and interpretation

After Beuys every person gets with the demand of social sculpture in the broadest sense of the inner and individual freedom to act as an individual within society; thus the individual is also responsible for the entire society. The Social Sculpture bring the various sectors of society and in particular the problems of a society, especially as the military threat, the ecological crisis and the problems of the economy, through a creative design and co-responsibility in a substantive overlap, allowing a "healthy" exchange could. He saw there the concept of design as a way to " social organism " - also called by him " social body" - to transfer from his sick shape in a healthy.

Behind the demand of social sculpture therefore is also the hope that art can convey an interdisciplinary language between man and nature in relation to the existing environmental problems and thus the realization in all areas of society is changing life on Earth for the better. The extension of the concept of art on politics meant that Beuys ' artistic work was also considered by political standards of value, although Beuys wanted to achieve not primarily political impact. However, the universalization of the concept of art -related alike the political.

"Everyone is an artist" did not deny special talents, such as in painting, and made ​​no statement to everyone is to be active as an artist in the classical sense. Beuys claimed rather that, for example, the society, a democracy can be regarded as a work of art to its success above all, individual spirituality, openness, creativity and fantasy settings are required, so that really entertains rather the artist against his subjects. These qualities and skills he spoke to every man. He turned so against a formalized, solidifying roles in a specialized society that wants to assign to the art only a niche, or as it finally brought the taz on the essayistic point: " Such was the expanded conception of art: Get out of the niche, 7000 planting oaks and honey pump into politics! "

Research and teaching

At the Alanus University in Bonn, the course "Art in Dialogue" can be assigned, which can be completed with an art project of social sculpture.

At Oxford Brookes University, there is a Social Sculpture Research Unit ( SSRUs), where it is possible to prove the master's degree program Social Sculpture and a PhD in this subject area. This research facility was co-founded by the Beuys student Shelley Sacks.

Implementation

In many concepts, such as the Solidarity Agriculture, ideas of social sculpture to be implemented. Concrete projects are mostly biodynamic farms mainly in the USA, Germany and Brazil or social facilities such as the social project for favela in Sao Paulo Comunitária Associação Monte Azul.