Untitled I

1945–1960

First exhibitions: Kleve, Kranenburg, Wuppertal

In his early years Beuys showed watercolours and sketches at the Kleve Artists Association's annual exhibition in the Villa Koekkoek, had a solo show at the home of Hans and Franz Joseph van der Grinten in Kranenburg, and took part in a show at the Von der Heydt Museum in Wuppertal.

1960s

Forms the idea of “social sculpture”

Drawing on Novalis and Schiller and on Rudolf Steiner's ideas of social threefolding, Beuys developed the concept of social sculpture: society as a whole is one great work of art to which everyone can contribute creatively (“everyone is an artist”).

1961

Professor of monumental sculpture in Düsseldorf

In 1961 Beuys was appointed professor of monumental sculpture at the Düsseldorf Kunstakademie; his students included Jörg Immendorff, Blinky Palermo, Sigmar Polke and Katharina Sieverding.

1962

Friendship with Nam June Paik and first steps in Fluxus

In 1962 Beuys befriended his Düsseldorf colleague Nam June Paik, a member of Fluxus, which began his brief formal involvement with the movement; he viewed art's economic and institutional framework differently from the others, however.

1964

An action in Aachen: a punch in the face

At a festival at the Technical College in Aachen that coincided with the twentieth anniversary of the attempt on Hitler's life, students interrupted Beuys's action and one of them punched him in the face; a photograph of the artist with a bloodied nose and a raised arm circulated in the media and brought him wider public attention.

28. juni 1964 – 6. oktober 1964

Exhibition: Documenta III