Beuys The Life and Work of a Innovative Artist Joseph Beuys
Thirty years after his death, Joseph Beuys still feels like a visionary and is widely considered one of the most influential artists of his generation. Known for his contributions to the Fluxus movement and his work across diverse media -- from happening and performance to sculpture, installation, and graphic art -- Beuys' expanded concept of the role of the artist places him in the middle of socially relevant discourses on media, community, and capitalism.
Using previously untapped visual and audio sources, director Andres Veiel has created a one-of-a-kind chronicle: BEUYS is not a portrait in the traditional sense, but an intimate and in-depth look at a human being, his art and ideas, and the way they have impacted the world.
Nominated for the Golden Berlin Bear for Best Film at the Berlin International Film Festival.
"Even if you don't need Beuys justified or explained to you, the movie is an exhilarating portrait of a unique truth-teller." - Glenn Kenny, The New York Times
"Veiel's refreshingly open-ended approach invites you to find your own answers." - Simon Abrams, The Village Voice
Running Time
108 mins
Year
2018
Kanopy ID
5693851
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Comments (2)
I had never heard of Beuys before seeing this film. Not sure what that implies. Anyway, despite being initially skeptical when I learned that he was injured several times while flying sorties for the Nazis, I ended up finding him to be quite an interesting character. The film does a good job ...Read more
I had never heard of Beuys before seeing this film. Not sure what that implies. Anyway, despite being initially skeptical when I learned that he was injured several times while flying sorties for the Nazis, I ended up finding him to be quite an interesting character. The film does a good job of portraying the artist as philosopher. But he also seems to have been quite the provocateur, which is how and why he became famous during his lifetime.
Physically, his appeal may have derived in part from his resemblance to a B-movie detective character such as Humphrey Bogart. Looking at the works presented in this film, there can be no doubt that Beuys influenced later generations of performance artists.
Read lessProbably the best filmic Beuys biography. Definitely a strident yet creative character. His lateral thinking has enriched the international art scene.